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35 


La  Vie  Seint  Edmund 
Le  Rei 


► 


An  Anglo-Norman  Poem  of  the  Twelfth  Century 

BY 

DENIS    PIRAMUS 


A  DISSERTATION 

PRESENTED  TO  THE   FACULTY   OF   BRYN   MAWR   COLLEGE 

FOR   THE   DEGREE  OF    DOCTOR   OF 

PHILOSOPHY 

OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY 

OF 
BY 

FLORENCE  LEFTWICH  RAVENEL 

1906 


THE  JOHN  C.  WINSTON   CO. 
PHILADELPHIA 


•V 


y 


/F      or  the        A  n/* 

(  UNIVERSITY   J  YU\i±£3 

\  OF  /  *-N  ^ 

INTRODUCTION.  A»A/H 


The  author  of  La  Vie  Seint  Edmund  le  Rei  alludes 
to  himself  twice  in  the  poem  as  Denis  Piramus;  but 
neither  he  nor  his  work  is  referred  to  by  any  other  writer 
of  the  Middle  Ages.  The  existence  of  the  shorter  lyric 
productions  to  which  he  lays  claim,  the  "Serventeis, 
Chanceonettes,  Rimes,  Saluz, "  is  attested  only  by  his 
own  word. 

The  only  manuscript  in  which  his  work  is  preserved 
was  found  in  1838  in  the  British  Museum,  by  Francisque 
Michel.  In  his  Rapport  a  Monsieur  le  Ministre  de  V In- 
struction publique  (II,  p.  258  seq.)  he  described  the  manu- 
script and  printed  an  extract  from  the  beginning  and  one 
from  the  conclusion  of  the  poem,  and  until  very  recent 
times  all  that  was  known  concerning  Denis  or  his  work 
was  gathered  from  these  lines. 

For  many  years  every  student  or  critic  who  turned 
his  attention  to  Marie  de  France  or  to  the  unknown 
author  of  Partenopeus,  quoted  from  St.  Edmund  the  lines 
referring  to  the  author  of  the  Lais,  or  those  beginning1 

"Cil  ki  Partenope  trova" 

and  drew  from  them  evidence  to  confirm  his  own  opinions 
or  discredit  those  of  his  opponents;  but  no  one  studied 
Denis'  work  as  a  whole,  or  thought  it  worth  while  to 
ascertain  the  real  purport  and  connection  of  the  much 
quoted  couplets. 

One  theory  was  built  upon  the  misquotation  of  cer- 
tain lines,  and  was  supported  in  all  seriousness  by  scholars 
of  reputation.  I  refer,  of  course,  to  the  hypothesis  that 
Denis  Piramus  was  the  author  of  Partenopeus,  an  opinion 
first  expressed  by  Francisque  Michel  (Rapport,  1838, 
pp.  250^  seq.).  Duval  (Histoire  litter  aire  de  la  France, 
Paris,  1838,  Vol.  XIX,  pp.  629-648)  accepts  this  assump- 

*(cf.  St.  Edmund,  lines  25-50.) 


2  LA  VIE  SEINT  EDMUND 

tion  without  question,  as  does  also  Paulin  Paris  (Manu- 
scrits  francais  de  la  Bibliotheque  du  Roi,  Paris,  1840, 
Vol.  Ill,  pp.  72-87).  As  late  as  1876,  Kolbing  (Beitrage 
zur  vergleichenden  Geschichte  der  romantischen  Poesie, 
Breslau)  alludes  to  Denis'  authorship  of  Partenopeus  as 
to  an  admitted  fact,  and  Chevalier  {Repertoire  des  sources 
historiques  du  Moyen  Age,  Paris,  1877)  saw  no  reason  to 
reopen  the  discussion. 

However,  even  before  the  publication  of  the  Life 
of  St.  Edmund,  this  theory  had  been  abandoned  (cf.  G. 
Paris  in  Rom.  IV,  p.  148).  Indeed,  a  superficial  exam- 
ination of  the  two  works  should  suffice,  one  would  think, 
to  remove  every  doubt;  for  a  stronger  contrast  can 
scarcely  be  imagined  than  that  between  St.  Edmund  and 
Partenopeus  de  Blois.  The  latter  is  one  of  the  most 
charming,  picturesque  and  frankly  pagan  of  Old  French 
romances,  and  its  author  allows  himself  flights  of  fancy 
and  extremes  of  realistic  description  which  would  have 
been  impossible  to  Denis  at  any  period  of  his  career. 

Even  without  regard  to  the  internal  evidence  in 
the  case,  the  hypothesis  of  Michel  must  remain  one  of 
the  curiosities  of  literary  interpretation,  for  it  is  based 
upon  the  omission  of  certain  lines  from  the  text,  and  the 
arbitrary  juxtaposition  of  others  which,  in  the  original, 
have  no  connection,  but  form  parts  of  separate  para- 
graphs.    Line  6  of  St.  Edmund  says : 

"Jeo  ai  nun  Denis  Piramus" 

This  is  followed  by  eight  lines  in  which  the  author  speaks 
of  his  advancing  years  and  the  change  of  heart  which 
has  induced  him  to  undertake  his  present  task;  and 
then,  at  the  opening  of  a  new  paragraph,  he  writes: 

"Cil  ki  Partenope  trova, 
E  ki  ces  vers  fist  e  riraa," 

and  proceeds  to  characterize,  in  terms  of  mingled  admira- 
tion and  disapproval,  the  work  of  an  author  whose  name 
he  either  did  not  know  or  did  not  choose  to  mention, 
but  which   was  manifestly  not  his  own.     If  we  bring 


INTRODUCTION  3 

together  the  three  lines  cited,  and  omit  the  middle  and 
end  of  the  passage,  a  certain  plausibility  is  gained  for 
the  hypothesis,  and  the  followers  of  Michel  seem  to  have 
read  no  farther,  and  asked  no  embarrassing  questions. 

But  this  is  not  the  only  false  impression  to  which 
Denis'  introductory  lines  have  given  rise.  His  evidence 
is  cited  in  another  literary  controversy. 

In  lines  35-48  of  our  text,  Denis  alludes  to  Marie 
de  France  as  the  author  o :  the  Lais,  but  makes  no  men- 
tion of  the  Fables  nor  of  the  Espurgatoire  Seint  Patriz. 
The  latter  omission  might  be  easily  explained  if,  as  we 
suppose,  Marie's  latest  work  had  not  appeared  when 
Denis  began  the  Vie  Seint  Edmund;  but  that  he  should 
ignore  the  existence  of  the  fables,  seems  to  demand  jus- 
tification. One  reason  for  this  silence  readily  suggested 
itself  to  scholars  who  were  concerned,  not  with  Denis 
Piramus,  but  with  Marie  de  France.  If  Denis  does  not 
refer  to  the  fables,  they  maintain,  it  is  because  they  were 
not  yet  written,  and  therefore  it  is  evident  that  the  Lais 
were  Marie's  earliest  work,  preceding  the  fables  by  at 
least  five  or  ten  years.  It  is  in  this  order  that  they  are 
placed  by  Gaston  Paris  {Litter ature  Francaise  au  Moyen 
Age,  Paris,  1890.  Tableau  Chronologique,  p.  248)  and 
by  Warnke  in  his  edition  of  the  fables,  1898  (Introduc- 
tion, pp.  1 1 5-1 1 7).  In  1895,  however,  Gaston  Paris 
(Rom.  XXIV,  compte  rendu,  p.  295)  abandoned  his  former 
position,  and  for  reasons  which  seem  to  me  conclusive, 
restored  Marie's  works  to  their  more  natural  order. 

A  closer  examination  of  the  introduction  to  the  Life 
of  St.  Edmund  would  have  promptly  disposed  of  Denis' 
testimony  in  this  question.  For  is  not  Denis'  object 
simply  a  comparison  between  these  two  authors,  who 
wrote  to  amuse,  and  himself  who  had  in  view  the  edi- 
fication of  his  hearers?     As  he  says  (lines  59-63) : 

"Si   vus   volez    entendre    a   mei, 
Jeo    vus    dirrai,    par    dreite    fei, 
Un  dedut  qui  mielz  valt  asez 
Ke  ces  altres  ke  tant  amez." 


4  LA   VIE    SEINT    EDMUND 

And  again   (lines  67-71): 

"  Um  deit  mult  mielz  a  sen  entendre, 
Ke  en  folie  le  tens  despendre. 
Un  dedut  par  vers  vus  dirrai, 
Ke  sunt  de  sen  e  si  verrai." 

Partenopeus  and  the  Lais  of  Marie  are  to  Denis 
Piramus  representatives  of  that  romantic  and  erotic 
literature,  against  which  was  directed  the  influence  of 
the  Church,  soon  to  triumph  in  the  reaction  of  the  thir- 
teenth century.  He  may  well  have  been  acquainted 
with  Marie's  fables  and  yet  have  avoided  all  allusion  to 
them  here;  for  though  fables  are  technically  fictitious, 
they  have  always  a  didactic  intention,  and  a  reference 
to  them  in  this  connection  might  have  weakened  the 
force  of  his  argument. 

The  complete  edition  of  Denis'  authentic  work, 
which  should  clear  up  all  these  misapprehensions,  was 
slow  in  making  its  appearance.  Finally,  in  1892,  La 
Vie  Seint  Edmund  le  Rei  was  published  as  part  of  the 
Memorials  of  St.  Edmund's  Abbey,  a  collection  contained 
in  two  quarto  volumes  of  the  Rolls  Series,  and  edited  by 
Mr.  Thomas  Arnold.  We  have  no  reason  to  question 
Mr.  Arnold's  qualifications  as  an  historian;  his  intro- 
duction contains  valuable  and  interesting  material  which 
I  have  been  glad  to  utilize.  But  his  numerous  errors, 
both  in  reading  and  in  interpreting  the  manuscript,  lead 
us  to  the  conclusion  that  he  is  but  scantily  equipped 
for  editing  an  Old  French  text.  (Compare  the  Compte 
rendu  by  Gaston  Paris,  in  Romania  XXII,  p.  170.) 

After  alluding  to  the  fact  that  nothing  had  been 
known  hitherto  of  the  work  of  Denis  Piramus  except  the 
extracts  printed  by  Michel,  Paris  adds: 

"II  est  d'autant  plus  regrettable  que  l'6diteur  soit 
aussi  peu  prepare  a  sa  tache.  Son  Edition  est  encore 
plus  mauvaise  que  celle  de  Gamier,  parue  dans  la  meme 
collection,  dont  nous  avons  rendu  compte  il  y  a  quelques 
ann6es.  (XVIII,  p.  314.)  Les  fautes  de  lecture  et  de 
ponctuation  abondent  dans  le  texte,  les  fautes  d 'inter- 


INTRODUCTION  5 

pr6tation  dans  le  glossaire.  .  .  II  va  sans  dire  que  l'6di- 
teur,  incapable  de  comprendre  le  texte  qu'il  publiait, 
n'a  meme  pas  tente"  de  corriger  les  nombreuses  fautes 
que  renferme  1 'unique  MS.  de  la  Vie  Seint  Edmond." 

As  examples  of  Mr.  Arnold's  false  reading  of  the 
MS.,  I  refer  to  line  260:  MS.  algent,  Arn.  a  le  gent;  196: 
MS.  ateinstrent,  Arn.  atemptrent;  198:  MS.  doterent, 
Arn.  docerent;  274:  MS.  desrayner,  Arn.  defrayer;  320:  MS. 
desrey,  Arn.  defreie;  449:  MS.  irra,  Arn.  ura;  55:  MS. 
ires,  Arn.  ires;    362 :    MS.  resceyvre,  Arn.  rescuyvre. 

When  a  correction  of  the  text  is  obviously  necessary, 
Mr.  Arnold  in  a  number  of  instances  neglects  to  make  it, 
leaving  the  unintelligible  word  or  construction  as  it  stands, 
e.  g.,  line  61:  milez  for  mielz;  9:  creire  for  treire;  89: 
quns  for  quens;  445  :  regum  for  regiun;  beside  the  many 
cases  where  the  rhyme  or  metre  calls  for  some  small 
emendation,  e.  g.,  line  9:  teles  for  tels;  60:  dreit  for 
dreite;   61 :   valut  for  valt,  etc. 

As  examples  of  emendations,  where  the  manuscript 
has  evidently  the  correct  reading,  I  cite  line  758:  MS. 
leire,  Arn.  terre;  534:  MS.  cresance,  Arn.  creance;  lines 
1025-26:  MS.  doune,  abandoune,  Arn.  donne,  abandonne; 
etc. 

The  following  are  a  few  examples  of  Mr.  Arnold's 
conjectures,  definitions  and  glossarial  notes:  MS.  11. 
705-706.     (Arn.  11.   703-704): 

Si  est  il  feit  le  reis  di  mey, 
Ki  iesqu  ci  ay  4t6  rey! ■ 

Cf.  Glossarial  Notes  p.  398:  "The  natural  order  of 
the  words  is  changed:  'All  is  over  with  me  the  king;' 
unless  reis  =  campaign  is  intended,  in  which  case  the 
meaning  would  be:  'my  career  is  ended'.  But  Prof. 
Atkinson  is  of  the  opinion  that  the  first  is  the  more  prob- 
able explanation.  "  ~j 

Note  on  line  1576,  (Arn.  1578)  p.  399:  "  'A  tut  dis 
mes'.     This  is  another  tag,  padding  to  fill  up  the  verse 

J(N.  B.     I  quote  the  MS.  as  it  stands.) 


6  LA  VIE   SEINT   EDMUND 

and  round  the  rhyme.  See  dis  and  mes  in  the  Glossary.  " 
And  under  dis  in  the  Glossary  we  find:  dis  =  10;  dis  = 
word,  with  reference  to  the  above  passage. 

Lines  355-360,  where  the  MS.  reading  is  evidently 
corrupt,  (cf.  text  criticism  below)  Mr.  Arnold  disposes 
of  the  passage  as  an  example  of  anacoleuthon.  (Glos. 
Notes,  p.   398.) 

For  definitions  I  refer  to  the  following:  defreyner 
(MS.  desreyner) :  "  to  open,  to  free  oneself  from  restraint ; " 
defreier  (MS.  desreier):  "to  trouble  oneself;"  altre  (in 
the  phrase,  "tries  un  tries  altre  s'enveit,"  1.  3569):  the 
editor  simply  places  an  interrogation  point  after  this 
word. 

Of  Mr.  Arnold's  conjectures  as  to  the  meaning  of 
unfamiliar  words,  I  will  cite  only  one:   1.  3878: 

"Tant  par  ert  encrisme  felun. " 

In  the  footnote  we  find  the  following:  "'Crisme':  Does 
this  refer  to  the  story  told  by  Malmesbury  of  the  sullying 
of  the  font  at  Ethelred's  baptism?"     (p.  246.) 

Line  158  of  the  MS.  is  omitted  in  the  Arnold  edition, 
and  the  former  half  of  line  229  is  connected  with  the 
latter  half  of  line  330,  making  a  line  without  either  mean- 
ing or  rhyme. 


SOURCES  OF  LA  VIE  ST.  EDMUND. 

As  the  chief  sources  of  the  work  of  Denis  Piramus 
are  included  among  the  Memorials  of  St.  Edmund's  Abbey, 
and  published  in  the  first  volume  of  the  collection,  it 
will  be  needless  to  go  into  detail  on  this  point.  I  merely 
give,  for  the  sake  of  completeness,  a  summary  of  the  facts 
known  concerning  these  sources,  with  such  comments  as 
seem  necessary,  referring  the  reader  to  the  documents 
themselves,  and  to  Mr.  Arnold's  Introduction. 

The  principal  sources  from  which  Denis  Piramus 
drew  the  material  for  his  Vie  Seint  Edmund,  are : 


SOURCES    OF    LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND  7 

i.  De  Infantia  Sancti  Edmundi,  in  Latin,  by  Gal- 
fridus  de  Fontibus,  composed  between  1148-1156  (cf. 
Memorials,  Vol.  I,  pp.  93-103 ;  and  Int.  pp.  XXXIV  and 
XXXV). 

2.  Passio  Sancti  Edmundi,  by  Abbo  of  Fleury  (d. 
1004)  (cf.  Memorials,  Vol.  I,  pp.  26-92,  and  Int.,  pp. 
XXVIII  and  XXIX),  written  about  the  close  of  the 
eleventh  century. 

3.  At  the  close  of  the  introduction,  where  Denis 
gives  a  brief  history  of  the  Saxon  conquest  of  Britain,  and 
the  retreat  of  the  Britons  into  Wales,  with  a  parenthetic 
account  of  the  treason  of  Hengist  and  Horsa,  he  follows 
Geoffrey  of  Monmouth,  Historia  Britonum  (Bk.  XII, 
15,   16,   19;    Bk.  VI,   15,   16,   10). 

Beginning  with  line  433,  Denis  follows  the  De  Infan- 
tia, or,  according  to  Mr.  Arnold's  conjecture,  an  English 
version  of  Galfridus,  as  far  as  line  2000.  Cf.  Arnold's 
note  on  line  3268,  where  Denis  says: 

"Translate  l'ai  desque   a  la  fin, 
E  del  Engleis,  et  del  Latin." 

"It  seems  therefore,"  says  Mr.  Arnold,  "that  there 
must  have  been  an  English  version  of  the  Infancy  lying 
before  him,  which  is  not  now  extant.  This  English  Life 
may  perhaps  be  indicated  by  someone  among  the  titles 
of  the  works  on  the  Edmundian  story,  not  now  existing, 
which  are  written  on  the  margin  of  MS.  Bodl.  240  (Memo- 
rials, p.  XVI  of  Introduction),  e.  g.,  the  book  of  Bliburgh 
or  Alia  Legenda,  or  Nicholaus  of  Warengford,  or  H.  Nor- 
wicensis  (p .   228,  footnote) . ' ' 

P|  This  suggestion  of  Mr.  Arnold  has  in  its  favor  only 
the  expression  used  by  Denis  himself,  as  no  English 
version  of  the  Infancy  is  known.  Even  if  Denis  had 
access  to  certain  English  Sources,  I  should  be  inclined  to 
believe  that  he  handled  his  material  with  a  certain  free- 
dom. Some  of  the  most  interesting  passages  in  St. 
Edmund  are  those  in  which  the  author,  while  following 
the  general  outline  of  his  original,  alters  the  details, 
greatly  to  the  advantage  of  the  effect. 


8  LA   VIE    SEINT   EDMUND 

The  long  account  of  Edmund's  voyage,  moreover, 
is  not  found  in  Galfridus  nor  in  any  known  source,  and 
this  recalls  a  statement  of  Sir  Thomas  Hardy,  quoted  in 
Arnold's  Introduction  (Catalog.  1107;  cf.  Memorials, 
Vol.  II,  pp.  18-26)  to  the  effect  that  Denis  Piramus 
composed  his  St.  Edmund  to  amuse  the  king  and  his 
nobles  during  a  long  journey  by  sea.  Certainly  the  wealth 
of  detail  with  which  Denis  describes  every  episode  of 
the  voyage,  and  the  knowledge  of  nautical  and  geograph- 
ical terms  which  he  displays,  seem  to  imply  that  he  had 
himself  at  some  time  in  his  life  accomplished  the  voyage 
he  attributes  to  his  hero. 

From  line  2000  to  line  3268,  the  Passio  of  Abbo  is 
the  only  known  source.  The  principal  differences  between 
Denis'  treatment  of  the  story  and  that  of  Abbo  are : 

1.  The  account  of  the  partition  of  Britain  between 
Saxons,  Jutes  and  Angles,  including  the  glowing  descrip- 
tion of  East  Anglia,  form  part  of  Abbo's  introduction. 
Denis  has  inserted  this  passage  between  his  sketch  of 
British  history  and  the  opening  of  Galfridus'  Infancy. 
If  we  may  attribute  this  rearrangement  (to  which  Mr. 
Arnold  makes  no  allusion)  to  Denis  himself,  it  shows  con- 
siderable skill  in  the  ordering  of  his  material. 

2.  The  motive  which  induced  the  invasion  of  the 
Danish  brothers,  as  given  by  Galfridus  and  adopted  by 
Denis,  is  sheer  malice  combined  with  envy  of  the  blood- 
less conquest  achieved  by  their  young  neighbor.  Denis 
makes  no  allusion  to  the  version  of  Abbo,  written  from  an 
intensely  clerical  and  theological  point  of  view,  according 
to  which  Inguar  and  Hubbe  are  messengers  of  Satan,  sent 
to  tempt  the  servant  of  God.  (Cf.  Abbo,  Passio,  p.  8, 
Memorials,  Vol.  I.) 

3.  Inguar  does  not,  according  to  Abbo,  summon 
Edmund  to  renounce  his  faith,  nor  even  to  yield  up  all 
his  treasures,  but  merely  to  divide  his  possessions  and 
rule  as  Inguar's  vice-gerent.  Such  moderate  conditions 
could  give  his  hero  scant  claims  to  the  crown  of  martyr- 
dom, and  naturally  Denis,  or  his  unknown  source,  modi- 


HISTORICAL  FOUNDATION  9 

fied  the  story  to  meet  the  requirements  for  sainthood. 
Moreover,  in  Abbo's  account,  Edmund  does  not  refuse  at 
once  and  without  qualification,  to  accept  the  invader's 
terms ;  he  only  stipulates  that  before  he,  a  Christian  king, 
shall  swear  allegiance  to  Inguar,  the  Dane  shall  become 
a  Christian. 

The  account  of  the  miracles  of  St.  Edmund,  which 
forms  the  second  part  of  the  poem,  is  based  upon  the 
Liber  de  Miraculis  Sancti  Edmundi,  of  Herman,  Abbot 
of  St.  Edmund's  Abbey  (cf.  Memorials,  Vol.  I,  pp.  26-92  ; 
also  cf.  Introduction,  pp.  XXVIII).  From  Herman 
comes  the  account  of  events  succeeding  the  martyrdom 
of  St.  Edmund,  the  chronology  of  the  kings  of  East 
Anglia,  etc.,  to  line  3937,  where  begins  the  history  of 
Sweyn's  invasion. 

From  this  point  Denis  makes  use  of  sources  quite 
unknown  (cf.  Arnold's  edition,  p.  240,  footnote),  perhaps 
simply  the  oral  traditions  with  which  he  was  familiar. 
The  manuscript  breaks  off  with  line  4030,  and  the  story 
of  the  treason  of  the  four  earls  in  the  reign  of  Ethelred 
is  left  incomplete. 


HISTORICAL  FOUNDATION  AND  LATER  DEVEL- 
OPMENT OF  THE  LEGEND. 

All  that  is  known  of  St.  Edmund  is  comprised  in  a 
few  lines  of  Ethelwerd's  Chronicle,  of  Asser's  Life  of 
Alfred  and  of  the  Saxon  Chronicle. 

There  was  a  Saxon  king  of  East  Anglia  who  bore 
that  name  and  reigned  in  the  ninth  century  (the  accepted 
date  of  the  martyrdom  is  870  A.  D.).  King  Edmund  was 
attacked  by  the  Danes,  and,  according  to  the  historical 
version,  fell  in  battle  defending  his  throne.  (Cf.  Ethel- 
werd's Chronicle,  Bk.  IV,  Chap.  II,  in  Six  Old  English 
Chronicles,  p.  26;   Bohn's  Library,  London,  1875;  Asser's 


IO  LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND 

Life  of  Alfred,  ibidem,  p.  54 ;  also  Two  Saxon  Chronicles, 
p.  71,  Plummer,  Oxford,  1892;  and  Memorials,  Vol.  I, 
Int.,  pp.  18-21.) 

The  legend  as  we  have  it  in  the  work  of  Denis  Pira- 
mus,  has  not  yet  assumed  its  final  form.  In  its  later 
development,  not  only  is  Edmund  sprung  from  the  royal 
stock  of  Old  Saxony,  but  his  father  and  mother  are  both 
named:  Alcmund  and  Siward.  The  date  841  is  assigned 
as  the  time  of  his  birth,  and  Nuremberg  as  his  native  city. 

Moreover,  the  later  versions  assign  another  motive 
for  the  Danish  invasion.  Lodbrok,  it  is  said,  the  father 
of  Inguar,  had  already  visited  England  incognito,  and 
having,  by  his  superior  marksmanship,  excited  the  jeal- 
ousy of  Bern,  Edmund's  chief  huntsman,  was  treacher- 
ously slain  by  him  in  the  forest.  The  guilty  Bern  (as 
we  see,  he  is  no  longer  the  son  of  Lodbrok)  condemned 
by  King  Edmund  and  set  adrift  upon  the  ocean,  was 
borne  by  the  winds  and  waves  to  Denmark;  and  once 
there,  he  gave  a  false  account  of  Lodbrok's  death,  incrimi- 
nating Edmund,  and  thereby  arousing  against  the  holy 
king  the  implacable  hatred  of  Inguar  and  Hubbe,  Lod- 
brok's two  sons. 

In  its  completest  form,  the  legend  of  St.  Edmund 
is  found  in  the  Curteis  Register  (Wm.  Curteis,  Abbot  from 
1429  to  1457).  Cf.  Memorials,  Vol.  I,  Int.,  p.  XV;  also 
Horstmann's  edition  of  Nova  Legenda  Angliae,  Oxford, 
1901.     App.,  pp.  573~688- 


METRE. 


La  Vie  Seint  Edmund  is  written  in  octosyllable 
rhymed  verse,  rhyming  a  a,  b  b,  c  c,  etc.  The  metre 
presents  those  peculiarities  which  distinguish  the  versi- 
fication of  insular  poets  from  that  prevalent  on  the  main- 
land at  the  same  period.  Denis  Piramus  seems  to  have 
been  neither  more  nor  less  remiss  than  his  fellow  coun- 


METRE  II 

trymen  in  the  observance  of  metrical  rules ;  and  though 
there  is  a  relatively  large  number  of  irregular  lines  in  the 
manuscript,  yet  a  considerable  portion  of  these  can  be  cor- 
rected by  a  slight  emendation  of  the  text,  and  are  there- 
fore to  be  set  down  to  the  account  of  the  copyist. 

Among  the  licenses  admitted  by  Anglo-Norman 
usage,  we  find  the  following  (Cf.  Suchier,  St.  Auban, 
pp.  33-37;  Koch's  Introduction  to  Chardri,  pp.  41-42; 
Rolf's  Adgar  Legenden,  Romanische  Forschungen,  Vol.  I, 
pp.  193-200): 

a.  Elision  of  atonic  e: 

1 .  Pretonic  (before  consonant  or  in  hiatus) : — 

De  sage  rei  (e)  bon  justiser  716 

E  recov(e)rer  vostre  comfort  867 

Ke  lenfant  namen(e)runt  nient  960 

Li  decol(e)ur  si  fu  irez  »47a 

La  meite  del  host  i  men(e)reit  2091 

2.  Posttonic: — 

De  Bur(e)s  qui  encore  est  assise  1 775 

En  ceste  ter(e)  lenfant  menames  1678 

Car  il  murust  en  tel(e)  creance  748 

Ke  lalb  (e)  del  jur  fu  escrevee  1404 

E  de  sa  vi(e)  traist  a  la  fin  755 

Tel(e)  dignete  aveit  la  cit  1774 

3.  In  the  termination  ent  of  verb  forms: — 

Tant  cum  il  fur(e)nt,  ceo  mest  avis  135 1 

Kant  la  nef  avei(e)nt  aprestee  1383 

Bon  vent  avei(e)nt  e  bien  portant  1459 

Pur  ceo  le  fesei(e)nt  sujurner  1591 

Hue  le  fesei(e)nt  curuner  1761 

Quil  avei(e)nt  en  lur  companie  I9IS 

b.  Double  vowels  and  diphthongs  contracted  when 
necessary : 

Pur  nus  e  pur  nostre  raanceun  2372 

Pur  la  vergoine  quil  unt  eu  J995 

Remark :  On  the  other  hand,  diphthongs  and  atonic 
e  have  often  their  full  syllabic  value: 


12  LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND 

Kal  tierz  jur  unt  Frise  veue  1411 

Ke  Jesu  nostre  salveiir  2321 

Cest  repons  que  as  ci  o'i  2328 

Cume  le  membre  Jesu  Crist  2357 

Ke  le  reis  sucurs  nen  oust  2189 

c.  Contraction  of  pronouns  and  particles: 

Jeo  le  vus  dirrai,  sempres  maneis  3280 

Quil  pais  mist  devers  Galerne  134 

Ne  saveit  daltre,  ceo  est  le  veir  199 

d.  It  is  frequently  possible  to  correct  the  six  and 
seven  syllabled  lines  by  the  restoration  of  an  atonic  e, 
or,  in  the  case  of  lines  of  nine  or  ten  syllables,  by  the 
elision  of  this  e.  In  a  few  instances,  where  a  simple  verb 
has  been  substituted  for  a  compound,  the  metre  may 
be  made  right  by  the  restoration  of  the  prefix: 

Ke    assemble    les    puisse    [re]treire 

In  my  correction  of  the  text  I  have,  as  a  rule,  adopted 
only  such  forms  as  are  supported  by  other  examples  in 
the  MS.,  or  by  the  requirements  of  both  metre  and  sense. 
Not  all  the  irregular  lines,  however,  will  yield  to  such 
treatment.  There  remains  a  relatively  large  number 
of  seven  syllabled  lines,  both  masculine  and  feminine, 
a  smaller  number  with  nine,  and  a  very  few  which  cannot 
be  made  to  count  more  than  six  syllables.  The  few  ten 
syllabled  lines  of  the  manuscript  can  all,  I  believe,  be 
reduced  to  eight  or  nine. 

Examples: 

1 .  Seven  syllables   (feminine) : 

E  trop  ai  use  ma  vie  3 

En  peche  e  en  folie  4 

Kil  tel  ore  lur  tramette  1441 

2.  Seven  syllables  (masculine): 

Seit  of  mei  e  si  ait,  24 

E  les  vers  sunt  mult  amez  33 

De  trestuz  ses  pechez  net,  662 

Tames  lances  truncuner  3758 


LITERARY   VALUE  1 3 

3.  Nine  syllables: 

Le  rei  Suain  veit  quil  nad  nul  ados,  3823 

Hue  li  prist  maladi(e)  si  grant,  643 

En  maladi(e)  dunt  apres  murust,  872 

Tant  cum  il  vesqui,  si  pout  bien  estre,  373° 

4.  Six  syllables   (masc.  and  fern.) : 

E  li  grant  e  li  mendre  327° 

Quil   mustre   sa   pussance  3635 

Kant  de  li  sen  ala  1001 

5.  As  I  have  said,  the  ten  syllabled  lines  can  be 
reduced  to  eight  or  nine  (cf .  tinder  nine  syllables) :  e.  g. : 

Denis  Piramus  quil  (ad)   translate  3279 

Here  it  is  evident  from  the  rhyme  word  (baratte) 
that  the  present  tense  is  intended. 


LITERARY  VALUE. 

Like  any  other  document  of  unquestioned  authen- 
ticity, La  Vie  Seint  Edmund  is  of  interest  to  the  historian 
and  to  the  student  of  language ;  but  has  it,  as  mere  litera- 
ture, any  claim  upon  our  attention  ?  Is  it  at  all  worthy 
of  a  place  among  those  literary  productions  which  have 
come  down  to  us  from  the  same  period  and  in  the  same 
tongue? 

In  his  introduction,  Mr  Arnold  characterizes  the 
style  of  Denis  as  "earnest"  and  "copious"  beyond  that 
of  most  writers  on  similar  themes.  The  justice  of  the 
epithets  is  indubitable,  but  they  ought  not,  perhaps,  to 
be  employed  in  an  unreservedly  complimentary  sense. 
Earnestness  is  indeed  a  virtue,  but  to  one  who  has  toiled 
through  the  four  thousand  lines  of  St.  Edmund,  its  "co- 
piousness" will  scarcely  seem  altogether  commendable. 
For  indeed  Denis  carries  the  habit  of  repetition  to  an 
extreme  seldom  reached  even  by  a  mediaeval  poet.  Each 
episode  is  recounted  at  least  twice,  and  with  a  tasteless 


14  LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND 

emphasis,  a  wearisome  iteration  that  quickly  chills 
whatever  sympathy  his  story  may  have  aroused.  In  the 
very  first  lines  we  have  an  example  of  this  peculiarity: 

Mult  ai  use  cume  pechere, 
Ma  vie  en  trop  fole  manere; 
E  trop  ai  use  ma  vie 
En  peche  en  folic 

The  habit  grows  as  the  work  progresses,  until  it  may 
be  affirmed  that  two  thousand  lines  would  have  sufficed 
to  tell  St.  Edmund's  story,  with  greater  clearness  and 
better  effect  than  Denis  has  achieved  in  more  than  four 
thousand. 

Perhaps,  however,  we  should  not  be  too  severe  with 
Denis  for  all  these  duplicated  passages.  The  poem  is 
evidently  intended  to  be  recited,  or  to  be  read  aloud,  as 
the  frequent  appeal  to  his  audience  would  indicate,  and 
even  in  an  age  when  books  were  rare  and  difficult  of 
access,  the  reader  may  have  found  his  hearers  often 
drowsy  and  inattentive.  When,  then,  some  of  the  more 
impressive  passages  failed  of  their  effect,  it  is  not  improb- 
able that  the  author,  or  some  ambitious  copyist  of  later 
date,  may  have  added  other  and  more  detailed  versions 
to  emphasize  the  original  story.  Some  such  supposition 
is  necessary  to  explain  the  length  to  which  certain  epi- 
sodes are  drawn  out;  for  example,  the  account  of  the 
Roman  lady's  vision,  which  is  first  told  by  the  author 
and  then,  almost  without  variation,  put  into  the  mouth 
of  the  lady  herself  (lines  n  15-1294).  Other  illustrations 
are  not  wanting,  the  most  conspicuous  being  the  story  of 
the  martyrdom,  where  the  verbiage  befogs  the  mind  of 
the  reader  and  obscures  the  outlines  of  the  narrative. 

On  the  other  hand,  if  we  would  do  justice  to  the 
work  of  Denis  Piramus,  we  must  compare  it  with  other 
saints'  lives  and  edifying  tales  of  the  same  period.  Writ- 
ten almost  at  the  end  of  the  Twelfth  century,  there  lingers 
in  the  work  of  Denis  something  of  the  epic  tone,  of  that 
combination  of  boldness  and  naivett,  of  manly  daring 


LITERARY   VALUE  I  5 

and  childlike  credulity,  which  is  the  distinguishing  note 
of  the  Chanson  de  Geste.  In  spite  of  his  pacific  theme, 
Denis  loves  to  sing  of  arms  and  heroes,  of  long  voyages 
across  perilous  seas  in  search  of  new  worlds  to  conquer. 
There  are  not  fewer  than  three  such  voyages  recounted  by 
him,  in  more  or  less  detail,  while  raids,  sieges  and  mas- 
sacres are  scattered  thickly  through  his  pages  and  always 
dwelt  upon  with  keen  relish. 

As  to  the  form  of  his  work,  there  is  little  to  be  said, 
aside  from,  the  technical  considerations  of  metre  and 
rhyme.  His  verse  is  the  verse  of  his  time  and  of  his 
country,  the  vehicle  in  which  have  come  down  to  us  ro- 
mances of  chivalry  and  legends  of  saints.  Denis  is  no 
inspired  poet;  he  is  at  his  best,  and  that  rarely  enough, 
only  a  writer  of  graceful  verse.  No  doubt  his  earlier 
experiences  and  courtly  training  were  not  without  their 
effect  upon  his  style  and  his  point  of  view;  and  though 
not  one  verse  has  come  down  to  us  of  those  "rimes," 
" saluz"  and  " serventeis"  which  he  professes  to  have 
composed,  yet  we  may  catch  sometimes,  in  the  midst 
of  his  graver  work,  an  echo  of  their  lighter  tone.  In 
his  introduction,  where  he  is  addressing  an  audience 
made  up  of  his  social  superiors,  he  gives  evidence  of  a 
tact  and  lightness  of  touch  not  unworthy  of  a  contem- 
porary of  Marie  de  France. 

Again,  in  the  episode  of  Ofla's  visit  to  the  Saxon  king, 
the  picture  of  the  young  Edmund,  growing  up  at  his 
father's  side,  in  the  exercise  of  all  courtly  and  Christian 
graces,  is  not  badly  done,  although  the  ideal  of  Denis 
is  distinctly  priestly  rather  than  chivalric.  In  particular, 
the  scene  of  parting  between  the  old  king  and  the  boy  has 
a  freshness,  a  warmth  of  simple  human  feeling,  which  we 
certainly  do  not  find  in  the  ponderous  phrases  of  the  Latin 
original. 

The  story  of  the  landing  of  Edmund  on  the  shores 
of  his  unknown  kingdom  is  worthy  of  note,  as  it  is  one  of 
the  author's  rare,  and  in  this  case  not  unsuccessful,  at- 
tempts to  portray  natural  scenes  and  objects. 


l6  LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND 

'Quant  Seint  Edmund  fu  venuz 
A  tere,  e  hors  del  nief  eissuz, 
En  une  planesce  acceptable 
E  bele  e  verte  e  delitable, 
De  liez  la  mer  en  oreisuns 
Chei  li  ber  a  genuilluns, 
E  preia  Dieu  pitusement 
Pur  le  pais  e  pur  la  gent. 


Ses  hommes  li  amenent  devant 

Un  palefrei,  sueif  amblant. 

Si  cum  le  ber  munter  deveit, 

Vers  Occident  [re]  garde  e  veit 

E  veit  hors   [de]   la  tere  sailler 

Dulces  funteines,  par  air, 

Od  dulz  curs,  od  clere  gravele, 

Nul  ne  poet  choisir  la  plus  bele : 

Cuntre  curent  vers  la  mer, 

Semblant  funt  de  li  welcomer. 

Del  liu  dunt  les  russels  sunt  surs, 

Jusquen  la  salse  funt  lur  curs, 

E  isnelment  se  destendent, 

Od  duz  murmure,  en  mer  descendent." 

(lines  1501-8;  1521-1534.) 
In  the  Vie  de  Seint  Gregoire,  for  example,  we  look  in 
vain  for  lines  like  these;  and  the  difference  is  not  only  in 
the  century,  but  in  the  spirit  of  the  author.  The  hero 
of  Frere  Angier  is  a  mere  abstraction,  to  whom  the  affec- 
tions that  bind  the  natural  man  to  his  fellows  are  but 
stumbling-blocks  in  the  road  to  perfection.  No  reader 
of  St.  Edmund  can  question  the  sincere  piety  of  Denis 
Piramus,  nor  his  faith  in  the  wonders  he  relates;  and 
yet,  compared  with  the  puerile,  often  immoral,  legends 
attributed  to  Adgar,  the  ideal  set  forth  in  the  life  and 
death  of  the  English  saint  is  sane  and  sober,  pure  and 
wholesome,  and  even  the  miracles  ascribed  to  him  seem 
akin  to  life  and  reality.  Written  at  the  close  of  the 
Twelfth  century,  Denis'  work  may  be  called  in  some  sort 
a  work  of  transition;  but  his  standpoint  is  certainly 
not  further  removed  from  the  romanticism  to  which  we 
owe  Partenopeus  and  Thomas'  Tristan,  than  from  the 
asceticism  which  brought  forth  such  works  as  St.  Gre- 
goire, or  the  St.  Josaphaz  and  Les  Set  Dormans  of  Chardri. 


I. 

LANGUAGE  OF  THE  AUTHOR  AS  INDICATED  BY 
THE  RHYME  WORDS. 

PHONOLOGY. 

A.  Vowels. 

i .  Free  in  tonic  position : 

a.  Latin  a  >  e  before  oral  consonants :  laisse  (  :  lee)  173 ; 
mer  ( :  justiser)  1653. 

Orthographic  variants  of  e  are : 

(1)  ieinief  ( :  tref)  145 1. 

(2)  eeiregnee  (:  devise)  168;  haitee  (  :  lee)  3942. 
Remark :  In  the  foregoing  examples,  the  second  e  might 

be  explained  as  e  posttonic.  However,  the  orthography 
ee  <  a  occurs  frequently  out  of  the  rhyme.  Cf.  Language 
of  Copyist,  under  free  aigreef  158;  neefes,  etc.) 

(3)  ei :  melleies :  espeies  2755-6. 

Remark  2 :  -aticum  becomes  -age :  sage :  message  3915. 
Remark  3 :  a  in  -alis  remains  in  leal  (  :  seneschal)   172$; 
real  ( :  estal)  732 ;  rarely  >  el :  e  spirit  el :  hostel  2857. 

b.  a  +  pal  >  ai  often  reduced  to  e  especially  medial :  ( 1 ) 
e  (medial)  :  mestre  (:estre)  31,  1953;  pes  (:apres)  431, 
etc.     (2)  ai  (final)  :  verrai:  dirrai  69;  (lais :  )  verais  38,  etc. 

Remark :  Final  ai  <  a  +  pal.  has  often  the  value  of  a  true 
diphthong:  pais  ( :  pis  27 p,  :  dis  421,  :  pris  33,  etc.).  Be- 
side e,  ei  is  a  frequent  variant  of  ai,  though  rarely  occurring 
at  the  end  of  a  word  :  retreire  :  fere  1825-6 ;  feire :  cuntreire 
3781.  The  three  orthographies  rhyme  each  with  the  others, 
apparently  without  restriction. 

Remark  2 :  -ariu  >  -ier  as  in  General  Old  French,  the 
-ier  being  frequently  reduced  to  -er  in  Anglo  Norman. 
The  frequency  with  which  both  forms  (ier  and  er)  occur 
in  our  .text,  both  in  and  out  of  the  rhyme,  suggests  that 
probably  both  sounds,  as  well  as  both  orthographies,  were 
familiar  to  the  author. 

17 


1 8  LA   VIE   SEINT   EDMUND 

Moreover,  -ier  and  -er  (<  ariu,  e  and  pal.  +  a)  rhyme 
as  a  rule  only  with  each  other;  not  more  than  half  a 
dozen  examples  are  found  where  the  -ier  and  -er  rhyme 
with  e  <  a :  bacheler :  conquest  er  187;  justiser •:  mer  1553, 
etc.  It  seems  possible  that,  though  ie  had  ceased  to  be 
felt  as  a  true  diphthong,  at  the  time  when  our  text  was  com- 
posed, yet  it  may  have  had  at  times  something  approaching 
a  diphthongal  value,  e.  g. :  ye. 

c.  Pal.  +  a  >  ie,  often  reduced  to  e,  (cf.  under  -ariu) 
rhymes  preferably  with  itself  or  with  ie,  e  ( <  ariu  or  e) . 

d.  a  +  free  nasal  >  ain  (written  often  ein)  vilain 
(  :  plain)  21 13 ;  faim :  pain  117;  luinteins :  procheins  1077 ; 
Romeine :  demeine  1193. 

Remark:  (1)  celestiene  (:ben)  2313.  This  combination 
of  pal  +  a  +  n  >  ien  has  usually  two  syllables  (cf.  1293) ; 
(2)  ain  (<a  +  n)  rhymes,  as  we  see,  with  ein  and  ain 
(<e  +  n). 

e.  a  +  nas.  -f-  pal.  >  ain  (for  the  different  orthographies 
of  n  cf.  under  Language  of  Copyist,  Consonant  n)  :  Al- 
maine :  cumpaine  3934 ;  chevetaine :  cumpaine  209. 

2.  A  checked : 

a.  a  remains  before  oral  consonants :  quatre :  cumbatre 
295  ;  colpasent :  decolasent  2434. 

b.  a  +  checked  nasal  remains,  e.  g. :  lance :  demurance 
274-5;  enfant  (ivivant)  284;  aniahan  1095,  etc.  -ant 
does  not  rhyme  regularly  with  -ent,  cf.,  however,  the  word 
talent :  p or tant  1459. 

c.  a  +  1  +  cons : 

There  is  no  rhyme  that  is  absolutely  conclusive  as  to  the 
quality  of  this  combination.  However,  as  1  is  consistently 
written  in  the  rhyme  words,  though  often  vocalized  in  the 
middle  of  the  line,  it  seems  probable  that  it  has  not  entirely 
lost  its  consonantal  value ;  e.  g.:  halz :  asalz  234 ;  orien- 
tals :  vassals  169-70. 

I.  5  free  m  tonic  position. 

a.  Becomes  ie  (frequently  reduced  to  e)  before  oral  con- 
sonants : 


LANGUAGE   OF   AUTHOR  19 

Of  ie  and  e  (<  e)  the  same  may  be  said  as  of  -ie(r) 
and  -e(r)  out  of  ariu,  and  ie  out  of  pal.  -f-  a.  The  two 
orthographies  are  used  interchangeably  in  our  text,  but  they 
rhyme  preferably  each  with  itself  or  with  each  other,  rarely 
with  e  <  a. 

For  examples,  cf.  997,  2185,  3633,  etc.  (cf.  under  -ariu, 
pp.  18  and  19,  also  pal.  -f-  a,  p.  19). 

b.  5  +  f ree  nasal  >  ie:  e.  g.,  biensiriens  493,  413; 
biemrevien  221 1. 

Very  rarely  we  find  the  reduced  form  ie  >  e ;  but  this  is 
probably  to  be  ascribed  to  the  coypist:  (celestiene)  :  ben 
2313.  The  forms  avent  and  revent  (635-6)  are,  of  course, 
analogical. 

c.  5  +  Pal-  >  i :  tnatire  ( :  dire)  28;  pris  (  :  avis)  135 1 ; 
despist  ( :  dist)  2165,  etc. 

5  +  pal.  >  e  in  mat  ere :  art  ere  2709. 
Remark:  muster   {'.mariner)    3 161;  here  we  have  the 
familiar  exchange  of  suffixes. 
2.  5  checked. 

a.  5  checked  before  orals  and  nasals  remains:  estre 
(  :  mestre)  32 ;  apic estre  135 ;  Vent :  supprent  1381,  etc. 

b.  5  +  1  +  Cons. 

1  is  written  consistently  in  the  rhyme  words,  but  as  this 
combination  does  not  rhyme  with  e  +  1  +  cons,  from  other 
sources,  the  quality  m of  the  el  must  remain  uncertain: 
bels :  dancels  475  ;.  kernels :  chastels  229,  etc. 

E. 

I.  E  free  in  tonic  position : 

a.  Becomes  ei  before  oral  consonants :  veit :  dreit  785 ; 
veie:  desreie  319-20;  vein  aver  3333. 

Variants  of  ei  are :  ( 1 )  e  crere  (  :  arveire)  yy ;  aver 
(  :  veir)  613 ;  (2)  a\:fai:lai  2678.  Ai  is  a  very  rare  variant 
of  e,  and  though  found  once  or  twice  in  the  rhyme  may  very 
well  be  due  to  the  copyist 

b.  E  4-  free  nasal  >  ei :  peine:  demeine  1875,  2533>  etc. 
(1)   E  is  a  rare  variant  of  ei:  mene:  demeine  851;  (2) 

i :  serin :  demain  1457 ;  (3)  ai :  plain  (  :  vilain)  21 13. 


20  LA   VIE   SEINT   EDMUND 

c.  E  +  pal.  >  ei  :  reis  (  :  curteis)  3481 ;  rei  (  :  mei) 
3335,  etc. 

d.  E -f- 1  >  ei  (ai)  :  vermeil :  soleil  1250;  cunseil :  soleil 
1265. 

Remark :  It  is  worthy  of  note  that  ei  <  e,  including  its 
variants,  does  not  rhyme  with  ei,  e  or  ai  from  other  sources 
(e  <  a;  e  <  ie;  e,  ei,  ai  <  a  +  pal. ;  or  ie(e)  <  pal.  +  a 
and  -ariu). 

Two  rhymes  only  in  our  text  appear  to  conflict  with  this 
rule,  and  they  are  susceptible  of  other  explanation ;  namely : 
( 1 )  cuntreerent :  armerent  2064,  where  cuntraire  may  have 
passed  over  to  Conjugation  I  (cf.  treier  =  traire  (3769  not 
in  the  rhyme)  (e)  cerchiriveir  (2674)  where  the  original 
cerchir  may  have  passed  over  to  Conjugation  II.  The  fre- 
quent examples  of  esteit :  aveit  are  analogical. 

2.  E  checked  in  tonic  position  remains :  prist :  conquist 
(277) ,  etc. ;  entendent :  defendent  267 ;  gent :  cointement 
254;  sens :  purpense  505,  etc. 

-ent  occasionally  written  ant,  when  it  rhymes  with  -ant: 
talant  (  :  portant)  1457. 

I. 

I  remains  in  all  positions. 

Q. 

1 .  O  free  in  tonic  position : 

a.  Remains  before  orals  in  volt:  tolt  1787;  ovre :  recovre 
24ig,  etc.  O  is  particularly  common  in  verb  forms  outside 
the  rhyme. 

b.  Diphthongizes  (also  before  orals). 

( 1 )  9  >  oe :  quoer :  foer  1942. 

(2)  9  >  ue    (orthographic   variant   of   oe,    estuetipuet 

1334. 

(3)  We  find  one  example  of  9  >  e,  which  is  probably 
merely  a  reduction  of  oe,  quer  (  :  penser)  53.  Outside  the 
rhyme  several  cases  of  this  reduction  are  found :  nove  >  nef, 
2060,  also  quer  233,  649,  etc. 

c.  Q  >  ue  before  free  nasals ;  vesquens  ( :  tens  4009 :  sens 
3669;  suens  (  :  bons)  1855).    Bons  remains  in  orthography 


LANGUAGE   OF   AUTHOR  2 1 

even  in  tonic  position ;  but  this  is  probably  to  be  ascribed  to 
the  copyist. 

d.  O  +  pal.  >  ui  (reduced  often  to  u).  (i)  ui  in  nuit 
(  :  tuit)  3307;  ennui  (  :  li)  1391 ;  (2)  u  nut  (  :  dedut)  1490, 
etc. 

e.  Before  I,  o  >  oi  (rarely  written  oe)  vpihdoel  153; 
oil:  soil  2331,  etc. 

f.  Before  n,  o  >  uo  (occurs  but  once)  suonge :  menceonge 
29. 

2.  ,0  checked  in  tonic  position. 

a.  Remains  before  orals :  mort :  ressort  675 ;  cors :  dehors 
3689. 

b.  Becomes  u  before  checked  nasals  (sometimes  written 
o)  :  cunte  (munte)  68;  frunt  ( :  sunt)  3393;  omme 
(:Rome)  1133. 

Q. 

1.  O  free  in  tonic  position : 

a.  O  becomes  u  before  orals:  honur  (  :  jur)  3497;  dolur 

Ojur)  1537- 

Remark :  The  orthography  ou,  though  found  frequently  in 
our  text,  both  in  and  out  of  the  rhyme,  is  evidently  due  to  the 
copyist.  Ou  was  not  in  general  use  (as  representing  Latin  o 
and  u)  until  late  in  the  thirteenth  century  (cf.  Koch's  Intro- 
duction to  Chardri,  p.  XXVI). 

b.  O  +  free  nasal  >  un  ( for  on  cf .  under  o  -f-  oral 
above)  :  draguns :  leuns  1819;  regiun:dun  1275,  etc. 

c.  O  +  pal.  >  oi  (with  ui  as  a  variant)  :  (1)  oi:  croiz: 
voiz  2393 ;  (2)  ui :  tuit  ( :  deduit)  3307,  etc. 

The  forms  glorie:  estorie  (1934  et  al.)  are  characteristic 
of  Anglo-Norman  texts. 

d.  O  +  n  becomes  oi  (with  ui  as  occasional  variant) 
verguine:  suessoine  1257;  cf.  the  curious  rhyme  doind:  Ed- 
mund 434,  where  the  mouillation  is  lost  and  the  diphthong 
apparently  reduced. 

2.  O  checked  in  tonic  position. 

a.  Before  orals,  o  >  u :  jur :  dolur  1537;  entur  3169; 
segnur  3599;  burc  ( :  Gheniesburc)  3905. 


22  LA   VIE   SEINT   EDMUND 

b.  O  +  checked  nasal   >  u,   sometimes  written  o :  Ed- 
mund :  respunt  2717 ;  sunt :  mund  1807 ;  parfunt :  funt  3693. 
O  +  u  >  eu  in  deus  ( :  vus)  1086. 

U. 

a.  Tonic  u  free  and  checked  remains  before  orals  and 
nasals :  plus  ( :  nuls)  349 ;  dreiture :  me  sure  1837 ;  veue :  neue 
141 ;  seur  (  :  eur)  651. 

Remark :  u  +  1  +  s :  rhymes,  as  we  see,  with  u  +  s,  so 
it  would  appear  that  in  this  combination,  1  had  lost  its  con- 
sonantal value. 

b.  u  +  pal.  becomes  ui,  often  reduced  to  u,  ( 1 )  in  deduit 
(  :  trestuit)  571 ;  (2)  u :  dedut  ( :  nut)  1399. 

AU. 

Au  free  and  checked  becomes  o  before  orals  and  nasals 
(before  nasals  written  u)  :  chol  (:  vol)  316;  or  tresor  911 ; 
clot  ( :  mot)  743 ;  hunte  ( :  cunte)  86. 

B.  Consonants. 

Of  the  consonants  in  the  rhymed  syllables,  there  is  little 
to  be  said. 

I.     Dentals. 

a.  t  final  after  a  vowel  falls :  lie :  espandie,  2526  (cf. 
also  fust  alternating  with  fu) . 

b.  d  final  has  the  value  of  t  (checked)  and  occasionally 
falls :  Edmun :  mesprisiun,  3294;  Edmund :  amunt,  3313,  etc. 

c.  s  +  t. 

In  our  text,  s  before  t  is  still  written  in  a  large  majority 
of  examples,  and,  as  a  rule,  when  s  is  retained  before  t,  we 
do  not  find  st  rhyming  with  t,  e.  g.,  preterites  in  -st  rhyme 
with  each  other  or  with  words  like  Crist,  despist,  etc. :  prist, 
sist,  fist,  parmist :  Crist  (cf.  3274,  2532,  2532,  2538,  etc.). 

Forms  without  s  occur  more  rarely  and  rhyme  with  each 
other.  The  two  exceptions  to  this  rule  are  fist :  escrit,  3469 ; 
dit:requist,  1969.    The  fact  however  that  the  same  forms 


LANGUAGE    OF   AUTHOR  23 

occur  with  and  without  the  s  would  seem  to  indicate  that 
this  letter  had  become  silent  before  a  consonant. 

d.  s  and  z  are,  as  a  rule,  kept  separate  in  the  rhyme 
words,  z  being  used  as  an  equivalent  for  cons.  +  s ;  how- 
ever, I  find  forz'.cors,  2665;  also  sutilz:ustils,  3127; 
gopilz :  cortilz,  2 1 1 1 ;  where  the  1  is  perhaps  silent  as  in  Hz. 

Remark :  I  find  a  few  examples  of  the  introduction  of  in- 
organic s :  vest  ( :  lest)  1364,  also  cizt  (  :  dit)  1590. 

II.     Labials. 

a.  f  +  cons,  often  remains  in  orthography,  though  it  was 
certainly  silent:  amiswifs,  1652;  cf.  also  jolifs  and  joef- 
nesse,  17  (not  in  the  rhyme)  ;  poestifs  is  written  sometimes 
with,  and  sometimes  without,  f  (  :  vifs,  1024:  pais,  1029). 


II. 

MORPHOLOGY    OF   THE    AUTHOR. 
A.  Case  Flexion  (Nouns  and  Adjectives). 

The  disorganization  of  the  Old  French  system  of  case 
flexion,  which  was  to  become  a  characteristic  of  the  Anglo- 
Norman  dialect,  has  already  made  considerable  progress  in 
the  text  of  Denis  Piramus.  It  was  however  in  its  earlier 
stages,  by  no  means  so  far  advanced  as  we  find  it,  for 
example,  in  the  works  of  Chardri,  or  in  the  Vie  St.  Gregoire, 
which  belong  to  the  early  years  of  the  thirteenth  century. 

i.  The  s  of  flexion  in  nominative  singular  of  nouns  and 
adjectives  remains: 

a.  In  the  subject:  li  reis  (:deis),  479;  nuls  (iplus), 
350;  vifs  (icheitis),  2735,  etc.  Twenty-seven  times  in 
the  four  thousand  lines  of  the  Vie  Seint  Edmund  (cf.  1465, 
18 19,  1846,  etc.).  Of  these  twenty-seven,  all  but  three  are 
assured  by  the  rhyme. 

b.  After  etre:  reis  \  Engleis ,  107;  irez  (\piez),  2472 
esliz:berbiz,  2479  (cf.  630,  759,  2538,  3007,  3082,  etc.)  — 
forty-eight  times  in  the  course  of  the  poem.  In  all  but  eight 
examples  the  s  is  assured  by  the  rhyme;  in  eight  only  the 
retention  of  s  may  possibly  be  due  to  the  copyist,  though  the 
tendency  of  the  latter,  who  is  writing  when  case  flexion  had 
practically  disappeared,  would  be  rather  to  let  fall,  than  to 
add  the  s  (cf.  3361,  7^1,  1500,  3239,  1277,  887,  etc.). 

2.  The  s  of  flexion  lost  in  the  nominative  singular  (sub- 
ject and  after  etre)  : 

a.  s  lost  in  subject:  meschyn  (ipelrin),  504;  chemin 
(  :  parRn),  452;  enemi  (  :  baili),  14;  sene  ( :  apele),  438 — 
(cf.  815,  1977,  3304,  2203,  etc.) — forty-six  times  in  our 
text.  Fifteen  of  these  examples  are  not  conclusive,  because 
the  s  might  have  been  retained  without  destroying  the 
rhyme;  and  fourteen  belong  to  a  class  of  nouns  which,  in 

24 


UNIVER3 

OF 

£AUFCF 


MORPHOLOGY   OF   THE   AUTHOR  2$ 


Old  French,  either  did  not  assume  the  s,  or  assumed  it  later, 
by  analogy : 

(i)  Old  accusatives:  larum,  1856;  felun,  3900;  barun, 
3503;  traitur ':  pastur ',  21 17-18;  vescunte,  3525;  salveur, 
2321;  ome,3476. 

(2)  Old  nominatives,  where  s  of  flexion  is  analogical: 
sire,  3304;  ber,  2451 ;  lere,  2087;  nom.  of  homo :  hum  (um), 
2176;  pecker e,  1;  also  martir,  frere  and  pere,  which  were 
originally  without  s. 

b.  s  of  flexion  lost  after  etre:  acute  {'.reclame),  1439; 
sire  ( :  dire),  2253  (cf.  also:  3202,  2509,  etc.,  in  all  thirty- 
five  examples). 

Six  of  these  examples  do  not  consistently  take  s  even 
in  General  Old  French  (see  above  and  cf.  2253,  etc.). 

Remark :  We  thus  see  that  the  s  of  flexion  in  the  nomi- 
native singular  masculine  was  retained  in  a  majority  of  in- 
stances in  our  text;  while  its  fall  is  assured  by  a  sufficient 
number  of  rhymes,  to  prove  that  the  rule  was  not  con- 
sistently observed  even  by  the  poet  himself. 

3.  Nominative  Plural. 

The  plural  form  seems  to  have  advanced  nearer  than  the 
singular  to  the  stage  of  modern  French : 

a.  Nom.  plu.  subject  and  after  etre:  without  s:  (1)  Sub- 
ject, thirty-three  times;  (2)  After  etre,  nineteen  times  (cf. 
136,  187,  287,  2063,  3131,  3895,  etc.). 

b.  Nom.  plu.  masculine  with  s : 

Subject  and  after  etre,  fifty-six  times  (cf.  209,  363,  369, 
427,  3293,  etc.). 

B.     Conjugation. 

1.     Present  Indicative. 

a.     Weak  Verbs. 

(1).     Class  I. 
Singular : 

1st  person  without  e :  comant  ( :  avant),  708;  cunt  (  :  Ed- 
mund), 99;  mant:  comant,  i6gi-2. 


26  LA   VIE   SEINT   EDMUND 

3d  person  with  e:  crieve :  lieve,  11 7-8;  envirune  (  :  Ham- 
tune),  386;  devise  (  :  Tatnise),  401 ;  conveie  (  :veie)  607; 
prise  (iservise),  503  (cf.  also  1406,  1588,  1954,  2206, 
3807,  etc.). 

3d  person  without  e:  griet  (  :  dechiet),  703 ;  also  irregular 
verbs  like  va  ( :  a)  1843;  vait:  trait,  2229,  etc. 
Plural : 

1  st  person:  -um  (without  s):avum  (icelerum),  1680; 
parlum  (ivarun)  1780,  etc. 

2d  person :  -ez :  aves  (  :  escutez) ,  1638 ;  paries :  vantez, 
1971-2. 

3d  person :  -ent :  alient :  aiient,  211;  aturnent :  sujurnent; 
1779-80  (also  vunt  {:unt),  151-2). 


(2).     Class  II. 
Singular : 

1st  person :  -s :  languis  (  :  amis),  613. 

2d  person :  -s :  quiers  (  :  messagiers) ,  2234. 

3d  person:   -t:   apent    (:gent),    1422;    somunt    ('.Ed- 
mund), 2343;  tolt  (:volt)   1787-8   (cf.  also  3050,  1513, 
etc.). 
Plural : 

3d  person :  requerent  ( :  esmaierent),  291. 


b.     Strong  Verbs. 
Singular : 

1st  person  without  termination:  ai  (  :  trametterai) ,  591 ; 
vei  (  :  rei),  1643,  2248;  di  (  :  issi),  3320. 

3d  person:  -t:  receit  (:esteit),  468;  veiti'feit,  530  (cf. 
1524,  2430,  3141-2,  etc.). 
Plural :  / 

3d  person :  -ent :  veient  (  :  pureient),  2395,  etc. 


MORPHOLOGY    OF    THE    AUTHOR  27 

2.     Imperfect  Indicative. 

a.     Weak  Verbs. 

(i).     Class  I. 
Singular : 

(a)  1st  person:  -oue  (once  only  and  that  not  in  the 
rhyme,  1262). 

3d  person:  -out:  penout  (:pout),  499;  parloutiso- 
jurnout,  1 145-6;  sonout  (not  in  rhyme),  3162;  gettout  (not 
in  rhyme),  11 70. 

(b)  1st  person  in  -ei :  no  examples  in  rhyme. 

3d  person  in  -eit :  esteit :  aveit,  486;  amenteit,  1858,  etc. 
Plural : 

3d  person:  (esteient)  wiveient,  2633;  demandeient : re- 
quereient,  2649. 

Remark:  The  imperfect  of  Class  I  is  of  rare  occurrence 
in  the  rhyme,  with  the  exception  of  the  one  word  esteit, 
which  rhymes  regularly  with  the  imperfect  of  other  Conju- 
gations. The  form  in  ou  occurs  only  in  the  instances  cited 
above,  but  the  few  examples  in  the  rhyme  and  probably 
those  in  the  middle  of  the  line,  are  due  to  the  author.  The 
copyist,  unless  a  person  of  special  culture,  would  be  more 
likely  to  err  in  the  other  direction. 


(2).     Imperfect  of  Class  II,  and  of 

b.     Strong  Verbs. 
Singular : 

3d  person:  -eit,  1287,  1303,  etc. 
Plural : 

3d  person:  -eient,  3359,  1157,  1177,  etc. 

The  imperfect  of  estre  is  ert  or  perhaps  sometimes  iert, 
though  the  i  of  the  latter  form  may  usually  be  read :  1  <  ibi. 


28  LA   VIE   SEINT   EDMUND 

3.     Preterite  Indicative. 

a.     Weak  Verbs  (Classes  I  and  II). 
Singular : 

1  st  person :  -ai,  -i,  ou,  -u,  687-8. 

3d  person :  -a,  -it,  -ut ;  lava :  aurna,  3247-8 ;  vesquit :  suff- 
rit,  3287 ;  parut :  resceut,  3243. 
Plural : 

1st  person:  -ames,  -umes,  -imes  (cf.   1663-4,   1279-80, 
1683-4). 

3d  person:  -erent,  -irent,  (-urent)  (cf.  381,  836,  3432-3, 
3611-12,  etc.). 

Remark:  Cf.  also  one  example  of  Preterite  in  ie(t)  :  es- 
pandie  (:lie),  2526. 

b.     Strong  Preterites. 
Singular : 

3d  person:  -ist,  -t,  -ust,  -ut  (cf.  559"6o>  55I2>  831-2, 
1255,  etc.). 
Plural : 

ist  person:  -ames,  -imes,  -umes  (cf.  1675-6,  1683,  etc.). 

3d  person:  -rent  (cf.  1593,  2819-20,  2145,  etc.). 

4.     Future  Indicatives. 
Singular : 

ist  person:  -ai  (cf.  592,  2282,  2237-8,  etc.). 

3d  person:  -a  (cf.  446-7,  1108,  etc.). 
Plural : 

ist  person:  -um  (cf.  859-60,  906-7,  1679,  etc.). 

2d  person:  -ez  (cf.  3953-4,  2270). 

3d  person:  -runt  (cf.  213-14,  1057-8,  etc.). 

5.     Conditional. 
Singular : 

3d  person:  -eit  (cf.  2196,  2289). 
Plural : 

3d  person:  -eient  (cf.  1597-8,  2671-2,  etc.). 


morphology  of  the  author  2$ 

Subjunctive  Mood. 

i.     Present. 
Singular : 

ist  person  with  e :  repente  (  :  entente)  g. 

3d  person  (1)  without  e:  ait,  24;  doint,  534;  port,  1408. 

3d  person  (2)  with  e:  tramette  \  mette ,  1 441-2;  main- 
tienge  \  mesavienge ,  162 1-2. 
Plural : 

2d  person :  -ez :  puissez :  conoissez,  589-90 ;  creez :  ren- 
eiez,  2273-4. 

Imperfect  Subjunctive. 
Singular : 

ist :  -sse :  eusse :  pusse,  4029-30. 

3d  person :  -st :  oust :  poust,  2189-90. 
Plural : 

ist  person :  -um :  realisum  (  :  returnerum) ,  1662. 

2d  person :  -ez :  alisez  ( :  deverez),  1244. 

3d  person:  -isent,  -asent :  colpasent:  decolasent,  2443-4; 
cerchasent  :  menasent  3589-90;  espandisent  :  occisent, 
2341-2. 

Infinitives. 

The  verb  chercher  appears  once  as  cerchir :  veir  ( <  ver- 
um),  2574;  blancheier:  graveir,  3994;  the  verb  venir  ap- 
pears once  as  vener:  oyer,  2865-6;  escorchier:  neir,  3371-2. 

Though  these  forms  occur  in  the  rhyme,  they  are  all 
probably  errors  of  the  copyist. 

Pronouns. 

a.  Personal  disjunctive:  (1)  met,  59,  647;  (2)  tei,  1064; 
(3)  li  and  reflex,  set  are  frequent. 

b.  Possessives:  (1)  li  mien,  571;  as  suens,  1855. 
Pronominal  forms  take  the  place  of  adjectival,  but  not  in 

the  rhyme :  cf.  la  mei  amur,  542 ;  li  mien  ceptre,  732. 


LANGUAGE   OF   THE    COPYIST. 

The  study  of  the  language  of  the  copyist,  to  whom  we  owe 
the  only  remaining  manuscript  of  St.  Edmund,  reveals  cer- 
tain peculiarities  distinct  from  those  of  the  author. 


I. 
Phonology. 
A.     Vowels. 

A. 

i.     Free  in  Tonic  Position : 

a.  a  >  e  before  oral  consonants : 

Beside  the  orthographic  variants  of  e  <  a,  found  both  in 
and  out  of  the  rhyme  (cf.  Language  of  Author  under  a),  we 
find  one  example  of  a  >  i :  til  <  tale,  655. 

Examples  of  the  other  variants  are :  ( 1 )  ee — greef,  1 58 ; 
neefes,  179;  frees,  685.  (2)  ie — piere  (patrem),  565; 
niefs,  1039,  etc. ;  piert,  2464;  clier,  3029.  (3)  ei — hantei,  5 ; 
trei,  18;  neifes,  1365;  sueif,  1522. 

b.  Pal.  +  a  >  ie  (often  reduced  to  e)  (cf.  41,  593,  etc.). 
-aticum  >  -age,  2915;  3338,  etc. 

c.  a  +  pal.  >  ai  (with  ei  and  e  as  variants)  for  ai  (cf. 
22,  79,  54,  etc. ;  ei :  18,405,  1264,  etc.;  e:  13,  15,33,  151). 

Remark :  ( 1 )  Medial,  and  especially  before  s  -f-  cons.,  e  is 
the  prevailing  orthography  for  a  +  pal. 

(2)  Aqua  appears  as  ewe  and  euwe,  1342,  1428,  31957 
etc. 

( 3 )  -ariu  becomes  -ier,  -er. 

Outside  the  rhyme  er  is  commoner  than  ier.  Exceptional 
is  the  form  lumeir,  1263. 

d.  a  +  nasal  >  ai,  with  ei  as  a  variant  (cf.  Lang,  of 
Author,  p.  19). 

30 


LANGUAGE   OF    COPYIST  3 1 

Checked  Tonic  A: 

a.  remains  before  orals  and  nasals. 

b.  a  +  1  +  cons :  1  is  sometimes  vocalized,  sometimes  re- 
mains, in  orthography  at  least;  while  in  some  cases  we  find 
a  stage  of  transition : 

( i )   1  remains,  but  u  is  inserted  before  it :  hauls,  853. 

(2)  1  >  u:  autre,  87,  etc.;  fause,  2480;  bauz,  419;  vaut, 
316. 

(3)  1  falls  leaving  no  trace  in  saf,  524. 

(4)  1  remains  orthographically  in  salf,  529,  etc. 

Remark :  While  in  the  rhyme  words  1  is  consistently  main- 
tained so  far  as  orthography  is  concerned,  elsewhere  the 
greatest  irregularity  prevails.  At  the  time  when  our  manu- 
script was  transcribed,  probably  the  vocalization  or  fall  of 
the  1  was  universal ;  while  in  the  original  the  old  form  still 
remained,  though  the  exact  value  of  1  cannot  now  be  de- 
termined. 

c.  a  +  labial  combination  (secondary)  appears  as  ou 
(cf.  3397,2540). 

1 .     Free  in  Tonic  Position : 

a.  before  orals  >  ie,  often  reduced  to  e  (cf.  Lang  of 
Author,  p.  20) .  A  rare  orthographic  variant  is  ei :  peiz,  1434 ; 
feirt,  406. 

b.  e  +  pal.  >  e:  pris,  188;  lit,  1387.  Rarely  we  find  the 
suffix  -eria  >  ire :  matire,  30. 

c.  e  +  nasal  >  ie  (cf.  336,  493,  204)  ;  ie  >  e  very  rarely. 

d.  In  mieldre,  meldres,  21,  15 17, 1  has  lost  its  mouillation. 

2.     5  Checked  Tonic. 

a.  remains  before  orals  and  nasals. 

b.  e.  +  1  +  cons. :  1  sometimes  remains  graphically  (cf. 
235,  160,  468,  etc.),  but  sometimes  a  is  inserted  as  a  glide 
between  the  e  and  the  1 :  beats,  482 ;  more  rarely  1  >  u : 
beus,  533. 


32  LA   VIE    SEINT   EDMUND 

E. 
i.     E  Free  in  Tonic  Position: 

a.  becomes  ei  before  orals,  with  ai  and  e  as  orthographic 
variants;  very  rarely  we  find  oi :  cf.  24,  542,  938  (cf.  Lang, 
of  Author,  pp.  19,  20). 

b.  For  treatment  of  e  +  nasal,  e  +  pal.  and  pal.  +  e  cf . 
Lang,  of  Author,  p.  20. 

2.     E  Checked  Tonic. 

a.  remains  before  orals  and  nasals. 

b.  e  +  1  +  cons. :  1  is  written  in  most  cases,  but  we  find 
two  examples  of  1  >  u  in  eus,  735,  295. 

I. 

Tonic  i  free  and  checked  remains  or  becomes  y  (cf.  form 
miest  =  mist,  1569). 

The  orthography  y  for  i  is  peculiarly  common  in  diph- 
thongs and  occurs  frequently  throughout  our  text,  e.  g., 
moy,  540 ;  rey,  566,  etc. 

However,  y  as  the  equivalent  of  i  does  not  become  usual 
until  late  in  the  thirteenth  century,  so  I  have  ventured  to 
restore  the  i  throughout.  (Cf.  Stimming;  Boeve,  App., 
186.) 

0- 

For  o  free  in  tonic  position,  we  have  substantially  the 
same  development  in  and  out  of  the  rhyme : 

a.  o  >  ue  with  oe  as  an  orthographic  variant.  The  re- 
duced form  u  is  occasionally  found,  and  more  frequently  the 
form  o,  which  is  perhops  a  reduction  of  oe,  as  u  of  ue. 

(1)  oe:  poeple,  257,  etc.;  soens,  3574; 

(2)  o:  volent,  261;  vols,  2333;  quor,  2284;  volt,  2490. 
Other  rare  variants  of  ue  (oe)  are:  ou,  voult,  456;  u, 

puse,  707 ;  Hue,  345 ;  eo :  ceo,  272,  etc. ;  e :  nef  ( <  nove) , 
quer,  647. 

b.  o  +  pal.  >  ui :  uit,  2060 ;  quise,  2408 ;  also  the  charac- 
teristic Anglo-Norman  reduction  ui  >  u  =  nut,   1410,  etc. 


LANGUAGE   OF    COPYIST  33 

Remark :  Locum  >  liu  regularly  in  our  text,  2629,  etc. ; 
but  we  find  one  example  of  lui,  731 ;  jo  cum  >  geu,  563. 

c.  o  +  1  or  n  >  oi. 

The  form  oe  occurs  in  doel,  2624,  and  once  o  +  n  >  on, 
e.  g.}  son  (soin)  571. 

d.  o  +  nasal  >  ue :  quens,  89,  etc. 

The  form  bons  is  probably  to  be  ascribed  to  atonic  position. 

O  Checked  Tonic: 

a.  remains  before  orals. 

b.  o  +  nasal  +  cons,  is  usually  rendered  by  u :  cuntre, 
953 ;  tundre,  789,  rarely  by  o :  longes,  1473. 

9- 

1.     Free  in  Tonic  Position: 

a.  Before  orals  and  nasals- >  u(ou).  (For  the  orthog- 
raphy ou  cf.  Lang,  of  Author,  p.  21 ;  for  examples,  cf.  358, 
2746,  2590,  etc.) 

b.  o  +  pal.  >  (1)  oi:  croiz,  2310;  estoire,  3261;  voiz, 
1753;  (2)  ui  (sometimes  reduced  to  u)  :  cunusent,  1848. 

c.  o  +  n  >  oi  or  ui  (cf.  499,  1995). 

2.     O  Checked. 

o  checked  tonic  >  u(ou)  before  orals  and  nasals  (cf. 
Lang,  of  Author,  pp.  21,  22). 

U. 

a.  u  free  and  checked  remains  before  orals  and  nasals 
(cf.  Lang,  of  Author,  p.  23) ;  exception  murmuire,  1534,  is 
result  of  confusion. 

b.  u  +  pal.  ui,  sometimes  reduced  to  u  (cf.  Lang,  of  Au- 
thor, p.  .23).  ( 

(For  treatment  of  Au  see  under  Language  of  Author, 
p.  22.) 


34  LA   VIE   SEINT   EDMUND 

Atonic  Vowels. 

i.     Pretonics. 

As  very  few  atonic  vowels  are  assured  by  the  rhymes, 
they  must  be  considered  under  the  head  of  "  the  Language 
of  the  Copyist." 

a.  Pretonic  a  remains  in  chai,  283 ;  maladie,  874,  etc.,  etc. 

b.  We  find  two  examples  of  pretonic  a  >  ue :  suessoine, 
101,  299;  suessune,  419. 

In  suessoine  the  a  of  the  first  syllable  appears  to  have  been 
assimilated  to  the  oi  of  the  tonic. 

c.  We  have  several  examples  of  ai :  chivaler,  1357;  chimin, 

324. 

d.  a  +  nasal  -f-  cons,  appears  twice  as  au :  garaunter,  65 
(reading  doubtful)  ;  erraument,  964. 

5  and  E. 

a.  e  is  often  retained  between  the  consonant  groups  b'r, 
v'r,  d'r:  descoveri,  1298;  devereit,  1246. 

Remark :  Often  this  e  has  no  syllabic  value,  as*  the  metre 
proves ;  but  sometimes  it  was  evidently  pronounced. 

b.  e>a  in  a  few  instances:  salvagine,  758  (assimila- 
tion?) ;  parfeite,  178,  etc. 

c.  e  is  assimilated  to  the  tonic  in  boseinuse,  631,  to  oi  in 
boisoines,  630. 

d.  e  -f-  pal.  remains  in  medi,  1181 ;  >  ie  in  miedi,  1449; 
>  ei  in  meite,  1398. 


I  becomes  e  in  mesprisiun,  387. 

O  and  O. 

a.  o  >  ou  in  soulement  by  analogy  to  soul. 

b.  o  >  e  in  demeine,  851  et  al. ;  volente,  1224. 

c.  o  +  pal  >  oi,  ui    (reduced  often  to  u)  :  cointement, 
255;  fuisun,  162;  pussance,  747. 


LANGUAGE   OF    COPYIST  35 

Au. 

a.  au  >  o,  ou:  oure,  190;  loant,  3255. 

b.  In  hiatus  au  >  o,  ou  and  semi-vocalic  j(y)  :  oyes,  79 
et  al.    Again,  we  find  oir  3085,  rhyming  with  words  in  -ir. 

Forms  like  oyerent :  words  in  -ir  may  be  ascribed  to  the 
copyist.     (Cf.  2665,  271 1.) 

Notes  on  Pretonic  5  and  E. 
1.     Fall  of  e. 

Under  the  following  conditions  e  often  falls  in  our  text : 

a.  between  two  consonants  of  which  r  is  one :  pelfrerent, 
2354;  pelrinage,  11 62;  frunt,  260,  lerrait,  2092,  etc. 

b.  between  two  consonants  other  than  r :  almaine,  393,  etc. 

c.  before  vowels  (in  hiatus)  :  veir,  1094;  ust,  846;  em- 
perur,  83.  However,  be  it  observed  that  this  e  often  remains 
under  the  same  conditions  if  the  metre  so  require.  Cf. 
seurte,  355,  etc. 

2.     Inorganic  E. 

An  inorganic  e  may  be  introduced  before  the  tonic : 

a.  before  or  after  vowels  or  dipthongs :  lees,  419;  veneue, 
1200;  respondeu,  289. 

b.  between  consonants  to  facilitate  pronunciation :  s'entre- 
falderunt,  214;  liver er,  1053. 

For  these  rules  and  for  further  examples,  cf.  Stimming 
Boeve  d'  Hamtone.  (Appendix  under  unaccented  e;  pp. 
176-184.) 

Posttonic  5  and  E. 

1 .  E  falls  or  becomes  silent : 

a.  in  feminine  forms :  real,  1833 ;  grant,  245 ;  conte,  1322 ; 
un,  316;  vailant,  11 16,  etc.,  etc. 

The  exigencies  of  rhyme  and  metre  prove  that  many  of 
these  forms  are  due  to  the  copyist,  whether  found  in  or  out 
of  the  rhyme.     (Cf.  1324,  1299  et  al.). 

b.  in  masculine  forms:  sir,  855,  1015;  chevetain,  161 9; 
mund,  1694. 


36  LA   VIE    SEINT   EDMUND 

c.  after  vowels,  especially  accented  e:  moi  (posses.),  542; 
la  moi  amur;  Privement,  1246. 

d.  In  verb  forms :  obit,  358 ;  mand,  691 ;  gard,  567.  Most 
of  these  are  the  work  of  the  copyist,  as  the  metre  proves. 
Cf.  Stimming's  Boeve,  App.,  pp.  181-184. 

t 
Consonants. 

As  very  few  consonants  are  assured  by  the  rhyme,  many 
of  the  phenomena  now  to  be  studied  must  be  attributed  to 
the  copyist. 

1.     Liquids. 

a.  L  -f-  Consonant : 

(1)  remains.     (Cf.  Lang,  of  Author,  pp.  19,  20.) 

(2)  1  is  vocalized  (cf.  Lang,  of  Copyist,  pp.  31,  32). 

(3)  1  falls  after  a  (cf.  Lang,  of  Copyist,  p.  31). 

(4)  1  remains,  but  a  is  inserted  as  a  glide.  (Cf.  Lang, 
of  Copyist,  p.  31.) 

b.  11  >  1 :  aler,  1243 ;  apele,  531 ;  bele,  532. 

c.  T  loses  mouillation  (cf.  Lang,  of  Copyist,  p.  33). 

d.  T  represented  by  1,  il,  (yl),  11,  el,  li:  vitaile,  181; 
maliers,  2147;  lilies,  780;  cuilli,  1291 ;  Ulee,  442,  etc. 

1  in  oels  (opus)  is  inorganic,  3129. 


a.  r  is  metathesized  in  berbiz,  2016;  kernel,  229;  em- 
pernez,  1056,  etc. 

b.  r  >  1  in  dreiturel  ( :  justiser),  272. 

c.  r  falls  before  cons,  in  sevir,  507;  purpalle,  3774;  atilus, 
1930. 

d.  r  >  rr:  irra,  447;  serra,  264;  dirrum,  10 18,  etc. 

e.  rr  >  r :  tere,  269 ;  guere,  376.  s 

2.     Nasals. 
M. 

a.  m  final  >  n  in  nun,  128,  153. 

b.  mm  >m:  comandez,  1039. 

c.  m  >  mm :  Rumme,  936. 


LANGUAGE  OF   COPYIST  37 

(i)     N  and  N'. 

a.  n  (initial)  >  m  in  mumbre,  292;  (medial)  solum,  48. 

b.  n  after  r  remains  in  comes,  2668. 

c.  nn  >  n:  vienent,  826;  tienent,  825  (secondary  forma- 
tions). 

d.  N'  represented  by :  in,  yn,  ygn,  ngn,  gn,  ni :  copaynes, 
210 ;  chevetaines,  209 ;  gayndble,  220 ;  ceynent,  232 ;  sesoynes, 
101 ;  gaygnour,  242 ;  cyngnes,  472 ;  alongni,  237. 

(2)     Fall  of  N: 

a.  before  p:  copaynes,  210. 

b.  before  t  in  meite,  754. 

c.  before  v  in  covendra,  274. 

d.  before  g  in  laguages  (once),  376. 
Occasionally  the  n  of  en  falls  (cf.  94,  etc.). 

2.  Labials  and  Labial  Groups. 

a.  p  >  b  in  enberse,  2457. 

b.  v  (Latin  medial,  Romance  final)  >  f :  vifs,  910,  etc.; 
joefnes,  joefnesce,  18. 

c.  p  inserted  between  m  and  n  in  Dampnedieu,  750;  in 
columpne,  2525. 

d.  After  m,  b  falls  in  andeus,  444 ;  amedeus,  2753. 

e.  After  o  or  u,  v  sometimes  falls  or  is  absorbed,  in 
poure,  1752;  owe,  20  (doubtful). 

f.  Between  vowels  v  falls  in  espourer,  2835 ;  espontee, 

3576. 

g.  v  =  consonantal  u,  w  under  English  influence :  jowes, 
2754  (cf.  Eng.  jaw.) ;  ewe,  1343. 

h.  o  (u)  in  hiatus  >  w  (u  sometimes  retained  as  a 
graphic  sign)  in  euwe,  3195;  geuwent,  1393;  louwer,  556. 

1.     Dentals. 

a.  t  final  remains  occasionally,  at  least,  as  a  graphic  sign : 
fut  (cf.  under  verbs,  p.  45). 

b.  d  intervocalic  remains  in  vedve,  11 19;  cf.  also  d 
(  >  final  in  Romance)  in  od  and  ad. 


38  LA   VIE    SEINT   EDMUND 

c.  s  (voiceless). 

(i)  ss  (medial)  >  s'.asez,  294;  vavasur,  82. 

(2)  ss  >  sc:  musceons,  274. 

(3)  s  >  c:  ceisant,  244. 

d.  s  (voiced)  >  c  in  baptice,  2312. 

2.  Dental  Groups. 

a.  Before  and  after  consonants,  t  may  fall:  forment, 
2385;  tanque,  2540;  apertemen,  3177. 

b.  d  introduced  to  facilitate  pronunciation  in  meldre, 
15 17;  to  replace  c  in  veindre. 

3.  Groups  with  S. 

a.  s  +  cons,  usually  retained  as  a  graphic  sign  both 
medial  and  final  (cf.  Lang,  of  Author,  p.  24)  ;  cf.  also 
blesme,  702 ;  desque,  3059.  Sometmes  s  falls  as  in  memes, 
3001. 

b.  s  (pi.  sign)  falls  in  de  =  des,  322  et  at;  cf.  also  1st 
pers.  pi.  of  all  verbs  except  sumes,  871. 

c.  s  +  cons,  falls  in  ceptre,  732. 

d.  z  ( <  cons.  +  s)  is  regularly  distinct  from  s  in  our  text 
(for  exceptions  cf.  Lang,  of  Author,  p.  23). 

Palatals,  C  and  K,  Qu. 

1.     C,  K  (Before  o,  u  or  cons.). 

a.  c  is  represented  by  k  (medial  and  initial)  in  kernels, 
224;  ovekes,  2660;  ileokes,  3553,  etc. 

b.  c  +  u(o)  written  qu :  quer,  233 ;  quidai,  1234,  etc 


MORPHOLOGY    OF   THE    COPYIST. 

Articles.     Masculine. 

1.  Masc.  sing.  nom.  li  (le  and  V  are  less  common  forms)  : 
li  occurs  eleven  time  in  five  hundred  lines  (100,  350,  467, 


LANGUAGE   OF    COPYIST  39 

etc.) ;  /'  once  only  in  six  hundred  lines;  le  seven  times  in 
five  hundred  lines  (99,  167,  etc.). 

2.  Plural  nom.  li  seven  times  in  five  hundred  lines  (154, 
187,  etc.). 

3.  Masc.  accus.  sing. :  le  fifteen  times  in  six  hundred  lines 
(397,  401,  etc.)  ;  /'  three  times  in  six  hundred  lines. 

N.  B. — The  elision  of  the  e  is  not  always  indicated  by  the 
orthography. 

4.  Masc.  accus.  pi.  les  regular  form  (cf.  8,  26,  etc.). 

Feminine. 

Fern.  nom.  sing,  la  (regular  form). 
Fern.  nom.  sing,  li  once  in  five  hundred  lines,  192. 
Fern.  nom.  sing.  /'  twice  in  five  hundred  lines  (cf.  118, 
117). 

Fern.  nom.  and  accus.  pi.  is  les. 

Articles  Contracted  in   Combination   with 
Prepositions. 

Masc.  sing. :  de:  del  (56,  246,  etc.). 
Masc.  sing.:  a:  al  (133). 
Plural  de:  dels,  des,  de  (378,  471,  125,  etc.). 
Plural  a:  as  (460,  275,  etc.). 
Plural:  a  (460). 

Fern,  of  indefinite  article  appears  as  un  once  in  one 
thousand  lines. 

Nouns  and  Adjectives. 

1.     Case  Flexion  Outside  the  Rhyme  Words. 
a.  In  lines  1-1000,  the  following  nouns  and  adjectives 
retain  the  s  of  the  nominative  singular :  quens  ( 1 ) ,  sires  ( 1 ) , 
reis  ( 12) ,  heals  ( 1 ) ,  nuls  ( 1 ) ,  pruz  ( 1 ) ,  Dieus  (7) ,  malades 

On  the  other  hand,  rei  occurs  twenty-four  times  without 
s ;  sire  three  times.  All  other  nouns  and  adjectives  are  unin- 
flected  in  nom.  sing.  In  five  hundred  lines  (taken  at  ran- 
dom) 1570-2075,  I  find  the  following  nominatives  with  s: 
nuls,  Hers,  1820;  sages,  enveziez,  18 19;  reis,  1651  (four 
times) ;  riches,  1880;  sorciers,  1933. 


40  LA   VIE   SEINT   EDMUND 

Remark :  From  these  figures  we  see  that  the  case  flexion 
of  the  copyist  was  in  a  more  advanced  stage  of  disintegration 
than  that  of  the  author. 

An  examination  of  the  plural  forms  leads  us  to  a  similar 
conclusion. 

Masculine  Plural  Subject. 

I.  Form  without  s  is  found  in  the  following  words  be- 
tween lines  i-iooo :  joefne,  187 ;  apreste,  193 ;  triste  e  dolent, 
672.    All  other  plurals  have  s. 

Between  lines  1575-2075,  we  find  the  following  nomina- 
tive plurals  without  s:  li  barun,  1598;  li  plus  riche,  1596; 
li  evesque,  1627;  les  sage  cumte,  1628. 

In  a  few  examples  it  is  impossible  to  determine  whether 
the  form  is  singular  or  plural. 

Vocative  Singular. 

a.  without  s :  beal  Hz,  511;  ben  Hz,  533 ;  seneschal  mestre, 
925;  Sir,  857;  m,  871,  etc 

b.  with  s :  beals  Hz  chers,  599. 

Vocative  Plural  (with  s). 
segnurs  (4  times),  673,  etc.;  chers  amis,  672. 

2.     Agreement  of  Nouns  and  Adjectives. 

a.  Gender  (lines  i-iooo). 

1.  Fern,  noun  with  masc.  adj.:  bons  genz,  93;  cheignes 
forz,  233;  bons  gestes,  93;  Engletere  .  .  .  departi,  112; 
pescheries  bons,  223. 

2.  Masc.  noun  with  fern,  adj.:  poeples  joiuse,  169-174; 
cointe  .  .  .  enfant,  510-11. 

b.  Number: 

Plural  noun  with  sing,  adj.:  poeples  joiuse,  169-174; 
tute  genz,  490. 

Pronouns. 

1.  Personal: 

a.  Subject  pronoun  of  1st  person  is  regularly  omitted, 
except  for  emphasis. 


LANGUAGE   OF   COPYIST  4 1 

Singular  : 

ist  person:  jeo,  15;  ieo,  18,  99,  125. 

3d  person:  (masc),  il,  28,  32;  (fern.),  ele,  37,  etc. 
Plural : 

ist  person :  nus,  950. 

2d  person :  vus,  59,  69. 

3d  person:  (masc.),  il,  53,  86;  eus  =  il,  inverted  order 
in  2888. 

II  is  used  disjunctively  in  553,  611. 

b.  Object. 

1.     Direct  Object  {Conjunctive). 

Singular  (masc.)  : 

ist  person:  me,  9,  13,  etc. 

2d  person:  te,  f  (rare),  2323,  2327. 

3d  person:  le,  44,  72'>  t>  54o;  U,  56a 

3d  person  (fern.)  :  la  (regular  form). 
Plural : 

ist  person :  nus. 

2d  person :  vus. 

3d  person :  les. 

2.     Indirect  Object  (Conjunctive). 

Singular  (masc.)  : 

ist  person:  me,  552. 

3d  person,  le,  li,  524. 
Plural : 

ist  person:  nus. 

2d  person :  vus. 

3d  person:  les  and  lur  (cf.  161,  180  et  al.). 

3.     Direct  and  Indirect  Objects  (Disjunctive). 

Singular : 

ist  person:  moi,  24;  mei,  1008. 

2d  person :  tei,  2324. 

3d  person:  eus,  295,  735;  els,  535. 


42  LA   VIE    SEINT   EDMUND 

c.  Reflexives. 

( i )   Conjunctive :  se  (cf.  eus,  228 ;  1*  785) . 

(2)   Disjunctive:  sei,  562,  etc. 

4.     Demonstratives  {Pronouns  and  Adjectives). 

Singular  (masc.)  : 

(a)  Pro. :  cil,  25,  57;  cesti,  661. 

(b)  Adj.:  cil,  195;  c^/,  421,  124;  icel,  ill,  296  (rare); 
c*rf,  657,  688;  c«rf»,  755. 

Singular  (fern.)  : 

(a)   Pro. :  cele3  242,  355,  etc. ;  ceste,  367,  76,  85,  etc. 

Neutre:  ceo,  31,  74,  etc. 
Plural : 

(a)  Pro. :  ceus,  177;  eels  (common  form),  390,  383,  etc. 

(b)  Adj. :  ces,  62,  etc. 

Relatives. 

Forms  ki  and  ke,  qui  and  que  are  interchangeable ;  nomi- 
native form  used  for  accusative  and  vice  versa. 

(a)  Subject:  ki,  25,  81,  etc.;  que,  147,  qui,  271,  96;  ke, 
412,  579,  etc. 

(b)  Object:  ki,  658;  fet  (dative),  811 ;  ke,  684. 

Possessives  (Pronouns  and  Adjectives). 

Adjective. 

Masculine  singular: 

1st  person:  mon;  plu.,  mes. 

2d  person :  tun. 

3d  person :  sun;  plu.,  j«. 
Feminine : 

1st  person :  ma,  etc. ;  plu.,  mes. 
3d  person :  sa;  plu.,  ses. 
Exception :  son  =  ses,  338. 
Plural  masculine  and  feminine : 

1st  person :  nostre,  nos. 

2d  person :  vostre,  vos. 
3d  person :  lur. 


LANGUAGE   OF    COPYIST  43 

Possessive  pronoun  is  of  rare  occurrence:  li  mien,  571 
(rhyme)  ;  la  moy  amur,  542;  li  mien  ceptre,  732. 

Verbs. 

The  system  of  conjugation  agrees  very  closely  with  that 
of  the  rhyme  words.  There  are,  however,  a  few  unusual 
forms  attributable  to  the  copyist  which  will  be  noticed  below. 

Indicative  Mood. 
Present. 
Singular  : 

1st  person:  su  (for  suis,  1230)  ;  pus  (for  puis,  555)  ; 

estui  (studiare),  553. 
3d  person:  recoilt  (recueillir) ,  1382. 
Plural : 

1st  person :  sumes  (only  form  with  s,  546  et  al.). 

Imperfect. 
1st  person  without  s :  hantei,  5 ;  fesei,  6. 

Preterites. 

Remark:  (1)  1st  pers.  sing.  It  is  sometimes  difficult  to 
determine  whether  the  termination  ei,  ai  belongs  to  the  im- 
perfect or  to  the  preterite,  e.  g.,  penai,  9;  parlai,  1239,  etc. 

(2)  Two  Picard  forms  appear:  vinch  (2),  1227,  1245. 
'(3)  Fut  and  fu  are  both  found;  fut  occurs  three  times 
in  one  thousand  lines. 

(4)  Sometimes  the  metre  demands  a  trisyllabic  form  of 
the  1st  and  2d  plurals :  meimes,  947;  veistes,  844. 

Future. 
Contracted  forms : 

1st  singular:  durrai,  556. 

1st  plural:  musterum,  906. 

2d  plural :  freez,  89. 

3d  plural :  frunt,  260. 

Cf .  also  forms  with  pretonic  e :  averunt,  288. 


44  LA   VIE   SEINT   EDMUND 

Subjunctives. 
Present : 

ist  singular :  doigne,  543 ;  murge,  721. 

3d  singular :  alge,  1329 ;  murge,  652 ;  gard,  567. 
Plural  : 

Cf.  the  curious  form  susum  (etre)  which  occurs  but  once 
in  our  text,  and  seems  to  be  a  sort  of  hybrid,  compounded  of 
seisum  and  fussum  (960). 

Imperfect  Subjunctive. 

There  is  a  change  of  conjugation  in  the  3d  plu. :  tenisent, 
204;  cf.  also  the  form  revenist,  953. 

SUMMARY. 

Though,  in  general,  the  language  of  the  copyist  agrees 
with  that  of  the  author,  there  are  the  following  minor  differ- 
ences to  be  noted : 

1.  The  number  of  variants  of  £  and  e  is  greater,  and  their 
occurrence  relatively  more  frequent,  outside  the  rhyme. 
This  would  seem  to  indicate  that  the  distinction  between 
close  and  open  e  was  less  clearly  felt  by  the  copyist  than  by 
the  author. 

2.  The  orthography  ou  <  o  is  unquestionably  an  innova- 
tion of  the  copyist  and  is  of  comparatively  late  date. 

3.  The  substitution  of  y  for  i  is  also  to  be  ascribed  to  the 
copyist. 

4.  The  vocalization  of  1  (graphically  at  least)  is  probably 
not  due  to  the  author. 

5.  The  frequent  insertion  of  posttonic  e,  where  it  is  ad- 
mitted neither  by  rhyme  nor  by  metre,  is  due  to  the  copyist. 

6.  To  him  also  we  must  ascribe,  in  a  large  measure  at 
least,  the  disorganization  of  the  Old  French  system  of  in- 
flection. 

These  phenomena  justify  the  conclusion  that  the  only 
manuscript  of  the  Vie  Seint  Edmund  which  we  at  present 
possess  was  transcribed  not  earlier  than  the  middle  of  the 
thirteenth  century  (1250-1260). 


LANGUAGE   OF   COPYIST  45 

That  we  cannot  set  the  date  later  than  1260,  is  proved  by 
the  absence  from  the  text  of  certain  late  Anglo-Norman 
peculiarities : 

1.  a  -J-  n  +  cons.  >  au  only  twice,  and  one  of  these  is 
is  a  doubtful  reading.    Cf .  erraument  and  gar  aunt  er  (  ?) . 

2.  The  orthography  ie  <  e.  is  still  very  frequent,  both  in 
and  out  of  the  rhyme. 


DATE   OF   DENIS    PIRAMUS. 

An  interval  of  nearly  a  hundred  years  separates  the  two 
extreme  dates  assigned  to  the  original  manuscript  of  La 
Vie  Seint  Edmund  le  Rei.  Suchier  places  it  in  the  first 
period  of  Anglo-Norman  literature,  that  is,  before  1150 
(Ueber  die  Vie  St.  Auban,  Introduction,  p.  3),  and  Mr. 
Arnold  suggests  1240  as  the  probable  time  of  its  composition 
(Mem.  St.  E.  A.,  Vol.  II,  p.  137).  The  correct  date  will 
be  found,  I  believe,  about  half  way  between  these  two,  in 
the  last  decade  of  the  twelfth  century  (1 190-1200).  (Cf. 
G.  Paris  in  Litt.  Fr.  au  M.  A.,  p.  215). 

In  the  absence  of  all  knowledge  of  Denis  Piramus  drawn 
from  outside  sources,  the  evidence  at  our  command  divides 
itself  into  two  classes : 

1.  Evidence  deduced  from  a  study  of  the  language,  es- 
pecially of  the  rhyme  words. 

2.  Evidence  derived  from  the  character  and  content  of  the 
poem: 

1.     Evidence  from  the  Language. 

a.  Comparison  with  those  Anglo-Norman  authors  whose 
work  is  placed,  by  common  consent,  about  the  middle  of  the 
third  quarter  of  the  twelfth  century,  proves  that  the  language 
of  Denis  Piramus  deviates  more  widely  from  the  General 
Old  French  norm  than  that  of  any  writer  before  1170. 

b.  On  the  other  hand,  a  similar  comparison  with  Anglo- 
Norman  works  composed  after  the  beginning  of  the  thir- 
teenth century  shows  the  language  of  our  author  to  be  more 
archaic,  i.  e.,  more  regular,  than  that  of  any  work  written 
after  1200. 

1.  Comparison  with  works  composed  between  1 1 50-1 170 : 
a.  Lois  Guillaume  (Ed.  J.  E.  Matzke,  Introduction). 

46 


date  of  denis  piramus  47 

Phonology. 

Vowels. 

( i )   Free  tonic  o* is  not  diphthongized.     (Int.,  p.  47.) 
(2)   o  >  u.     (Int.,  p.  47.) 

Consonants. 
Dentals. 

Probably  t  and  d  intervocalic  remain  in  the  original  MS. 
Cf.  fiede.     (Int.,  p.  48.) 
Inflection : 

(1)  Relative  pronoun  has  always  the  form  ki  for  nomi- 
native and  ke  for  accusative. 

(2)  Present  subjunctive  has  always  the  short  form,  e.  g., 
aint,  cleimt.     (Matzke,  Int.,  p.  50.) 

As  the  work  is  in  prose,  and  the  manuscript  of  relatively 
late  date,  we  have  no  means  of  determining  the  state  of  case 
flexion  in  the  original. 

b.  Cambridge  Psalter  (about  1170).  Cf.  Schumann, 
Vokalismus  und  Consonantismus  des  Cambridger  Psalters. 
(Heilbronn,  1883.) 

Phonology. 

Vowels. 

(1)  e.  >  ie  (rarely  reduced  to  e),  p.  24. 

(2)  o  is  diphthongized  (Schumann,  p.  28). 

(3)  o  >  u  and  sometimes  ou,  especially  in  the  termination 
-osus.  This  frequent  occurrence  of  ou  <  o  is  one  of  the 
peculiarities  of  the  Cambridge  Psalter.     ( Schumann,  p.  40. ) 

Consonants. 

(1)  Dentals:  t  and  d  final  sometimes  remain.  (Schu- 
mann, p.  47.) 

(2)  n  final  retained  in  journ  and  charn.  (Cf.  Michel's 
edition  Psalms  IV  and  X.) 

Case  flexion  still  tolerably  regular,  though  showing  some 
signs  of  disorganization.     (Cf.  Schumann,  Appendix.) 


48  LA   VIE   SEINT   EDMUND 

c.  Comparison  with  Adgar' s  Legendes  de  la  Vierge,  com- 
posed about  1 1 70.  Edition  of  Neuhaus  in  Alt  Franzosische 
Bibliothek,  Vol.  IV ;  also  Rolf's  Study  of  the  Language,  in 
Romanische  Forschungen,  I,  pp.  179-236. 

Remark :  In  general,  the  language  of  Adgar  corresponds 
strikingly  with  that  of  our  text. 

> 

Phonology. 
Vowels. 

(1)  a  -f  n  +  t  >  au  in  erraument   (cf.   Rolf,  p.  206). 

(2)  ai  and  ei  rhyme  regularly  (cf.  Rolf,  p.  208). 

(3)  Though  some  rhymes  of  ei  with  ai  occur  in  Adgar, 
e  <  a  in  the  termination  -are  does  not  rhyme  with  e  <  ei< 
Latin  e,  except  in  two  or  three  legends  not  ascribed  to  Adgar. 
(Rolf,  pp.  209-210.)  According  to  Rolf  (p.  210)  the 
other  Anglo-Norman  texts  in  which  eir  <  er  is  separated 
from  er  <  are  in  the  rhyme  words  are :  Estoire  des  Engleis, 
Lai  du  Corn,  Chanson  de  la  Premiere  Croisade,  Fantome's 
Chronique,  La  Vie  St.  Thomas.  To  these  we  may  add  La 
Vie  St.  Edmund. 

(4)  §,  pal.  +  a  and  -arm  become  ie,  or  the  reduced  form 
e;  beside  these,  we  find  frequently  i  (cf.  Rolf,  p.  214). 

(5)  o  often  remains  undiphthongized,  sometimes  >  oe, 
ue  (cf.  Rolf,  p.  211). 

Morphology. 
Pronouns. 

(1)  The  long  forms  of  the  demonstrative  are  frequent: 
icel,  ico  ,etc.     (Rolf,  p.  228). 

(2)  Present  subjunctive  has  the  older  form  without  e 
(Rolf,  p.  230). 

(3)  Imperfect  indicative  has  the  form  in  -oue,  -out,  with 
a  few  examples  of  a  transfer  from  Conjugation  I  to  II 
in  the  imperfect  (cf.  Rolf,  p.  232). 

(4)  Case  flexion  is  almost  regular.  The  editor  has  re- 
stored the  flexional  s  throughout. 


DATE   OF   DENIS    PIRAMUS  49 

(5)  Archaic  forms  of  the  nominative  (not  found  in  St. 
Edmund)  :  enfes,  cumpainz,  fels,  soer. 

(6)  Archaic  verb  forms:  i 
Infin. :  sivre,  veintre. 

Pres. :  siwent,  respunent. 

Future:  destruerai. 

Pret. :  vesqui,  benesqui.     (Cf.  Rolf,  pp.  232-5.) 

2.     Comparison  with  Texts  of  the  Beginning  of  the 
Thirteenth  Century. 

I.  Seint  Joseph,  Les  Set  Dormanz  and  Le  Petit  Plet,  by 
Chardri  {Alt  Franzosische  Bibliothek,  Vol.  I,  Koch),  com- 
posed in  the  first  decade  of  the  thirteenth  century. 

Phonology. 
1 .     Vowels. 

(1)  Latin  £,  pal.+a  and  -arm  have  all  become  e  ( :  e<a) 
(cf.  Koch's  Introduction,  p.  25). 

(2)  o>u  (ouof  later  MSS.  is  corrected  throughout  to 
u,  cf.  Int.,  p.  26). 

(3)  a  +  n  +  cons-  >  au>  though  in  the  earliest  MS.  this 
is  still  rare  (Int.,  p.  30). 

2.     Consonants. 

(1)  s  and  z  have  fallen  together:  tuz:  angussus  (Int.,  p. 

38). 

(2)  1  >  u  as  in  General  Old  French  (Int.,  p.  30). 

Morphology. 

I.  Case  flexion  has  entirely  disappeared  (Int.,  pp.  37-38). 

II.  Vie  Seint  Gregoire,  composed  and  written  by  Frere 
Angier  in  12 12.  (Edition  Paul  Meyer  in  Romania  XII, 
pp.  145-208.) 


50  la  vie  seint  edmund 

Phonology, 
i.     Vowels. 

(i)  a  +  nas.  >  ei  (Rom.  XII,  p.  193). 

(2)  e  >  ei  or  oi  (Rom.  XII,  p.  196). 

(3)  o  >  ou,  o  or  u;  ou  is  the  favorite  orthography,  es- 
pecially in  the  termination  -osus.  The  more  common  Anglo- 
Norman  form  u  is  rare,  and  the  form  o  is  found  only  in 
nove  (Rom.  XII,  p.  197). 

Morphology. 

(1)  Case  flexion  has  ceased  to  exist,  as  a  rule,  though 
sporadic  examples  occur  (Rom.  XII,  p.  198). 

(2)  Imperfects  of  I  are  found  both  in  -ot  and  -eit,  the 
latter  rare  (Rom.  XII,  p.  200). 

3.     La  Vie  Seint  Edmund. 

Phonology. 

Vowels. 

( 1 )  Latin  £,  pal.  +  a  and  -arm  become  ie,  sometimes  re- 
duced to  e;  ie  predominates  in  the  rhyme.  (Cf.  Phon.  of 
Author  under  a  and  £,  pp.  17,  18,  19;  cf.  also  Camb.  Ps.,  p. 

47  of  this  study;  Ad  gar,  ibidem,  p.  48;  Cliardri,  ibidem,  p. 

49-) 

(2)  e  >  ei,  e;  does  not  rhyme  with  ei,  e  from  other 
sources.     Cf.  Phon.  of  Author  under  e,  p.  20;  Adgar,  p. 

48  of  this  study.) 

(3)  9  sometimes  diphthongizes,  sometimes  appears  as  o. 
(Cf.  o  in  Phon.  of  Author,  pp.  20,  21 ;  also  Lois  Guillaume, 
p.  47  of  this  study ;  Adgar,  p.  48,  ibidem.) 

(4)  o  >  u  (ou  to  be  ascribed  to  the  copyist).  (Cf.  Phon. 
of  Author,  p.  22 ;  Lois  Guillaume,  p.  47  of  this  study ;  Camb. 
Ps.,  p.  47,  ibidem ;  Chardri,  p.  49,  ibidem ;  Vie  St.  Gregoire, 
p.  50,  ibidem.) 

(5)  a -f- n  +  cons,  does  not  become  au  (cf.  Adgar,  p. 
48  of  this  study). 


DATE   OF  DENIS   PIRAMUS  51 

Consonants. 

(i)  No  sign  of  the  vocalization  of  1  (graphically)  in  the 
rhyme  words.  (Cf.  Phon.  of  Author  under  a  and  e,  pp.  18, 
19;  Chardri,  p.  49  of  this  study.) 

(2)  s  and  z  are  regularly  kept  apart.  (Cf.  Cons,  of 
Author,  p.  24;  Chardri,  p.  50.) 

(3)  s  +  cons. :  s  usually  written,  but  probably  silent. 
(Cf.  Cons,  of  Author,  p.  23.) 

Morphology. 

(1)  The  disorganization  of  the  Old  French  system  of 
case  flexion  has  begun,  but  has  made  relatively  little  progress 
in  the  work  of  Denis  Piramus.  (Cf.  Morphol.  of  Author, 
pp.  25,  26;  cf.  other  works  examined,  pp.  46-50.) 

(2)  Archaic  verb  forms  are  found  occasionally  in  St. 
Edmund: 

Infin. :  veintre,  veindre,  2395. 

Pres. :  siut,  2795. 

Pret. :  siwerent,  2718. 

Fut. :  destruerai,  1708. 

Old.  pret. :  in  -iet  found  once:  espandie:  lie,  2526.  (Cf. 
Rolf,  pp.  232-3.) 

5.  The  evidence  from  the  language  would  seem  to  place 
La  Vie  Seint  Edmund  about  half  way  between  the  early 
writers  with  whose  work  it  has  been  compared,  and  those 
who  belong  confessedly  to  the  beginning  of  the  thirteenth 
century.  But  this  conclusion  leaves  a  margin  of  about  thirty 
years  between  the  earliest  and  the  latest  date  to  which  Denis' 
work  can  be  assigned. 

These  limits  may  be,  I  believe,  still  further  contracted  by 
the  evidence  drawn  from  the  character  and  content  of  the 
poem.  In  certain  lines  of  his  introduction,  to  which  atten- 
tion has  already  been  called,  Denis  Piramus  alludes  to  Marie 
de  France  as  to  a  contemporary,  and  implies  that  he  had 
been,  in  his  youth,  her  fellow-laborer,  if  not  her  rival,  in  the 
profession  of  verse  making. 

Now,  though  the  Vie  St.  Edmund  does  not  belong  to  the 
period  of  his  life  when  its  author  presumably  lived  at  court, 


52  LA  VIE   SEINT   EDMUND 

yet  he  speaks  of  Marie  not  only  as  of  one  whose  works 
were  still  familiar  to  the  public,  but  as  of  a  person  still 
living.    I  quote  the  lines  to  which  I  refer : 

"  E  Dame  Marie,  altresi, 
Ki  en  rime  fist  e  basti 
E  compensa  les  vers  de  lais, 
Ke  ne  sunt  pas  de  tut  verais; 
E  si  en  est  ele  mult  loee, 
E  la  rime  par  tut  amee. 
Kar  mult  laiment,  si  lunt  mult  cher 
Cunte,  barun  e  chivaler, 
E  si  en  aiment  mult  lescrit, 
E  lire  le  funt,  si  unt  delit, 
E  si  les  funt  sovent  retreire, 
Les  lais  soleient1  as  dames  pleire."    Etc. 

The  Lais  of  Marie  were,  however,  almost  certainly  not 
published  before  1165  (cf.  Warnke's  edition  of  Fables,  1898, 
Int.,  pp.  1 1 5-1 17),  and  according  to  Gaston  Paris  (Rom. 
XXIV,  p.  290)  not  before  1180;  especially  if  we  admit  that 
the  fables  precede  the  Lais,  and  there  is  strong  reason  for 
believing  that  this  is  the  correct  order.     (Cf.  pp.  3,  4.) 

Moreover,  Denis  Piramus  did  not  acquire  his  familiarity 
with  the  Lais  after  his  retirement  to  a  life  of  religious  se- 
clusion. Marie,  her  glory  and  her  faults,  are  to  him  then 
but  a  reminiscence  of  his  past  existence.  It  is  true  that 
Denis  does  not  profess  to  be  old,  only  "  drawing  near  to  old 
age  " ;  but  it  seems  safe  to  assume  that  at  least  some  years 
separate  his  life  at  court  from  the  time  of  composition  of  his 
St.  Edmund. 

I  have  said  "  some  years  " ;  but  here  again  we  must  be  on 
our  guard.  We  must  not  assume  that  a  very  great  interval 
of  time  elapsed  between  the  appearance  of  the  Lais  and  the 
penning  of  this,  the  only  allusion  to  them  or  to  their  author 
which  has  come  down  to  us  from  the  period.  After  Denis 
Piramus  a  great  silence  falls  around  Marie  de  France,  broken 
by  no  mention  of  her  name  throughout  the  thirteenth  cen- 
tury. Her  works,  indeed,  live  on ;  but  in  the  various  coun- 
tries and  languages  in  which  the  Lais  are  found,  they  form 
parts  of  anonymous  collections,  and  are  interspersed  with 

1  Correct  suelent  on  account  of  metre. 


DATE   OF   DENIS    PIRAMUS  53 

the  works  of  far  less  skilful  hands.  (Cf.  Warnke's  edition, 
Int.,  pp.  viii  and  ix.) 

One  circumstance  should  be  noted,  which  has  a  certain 
value,  if  only  negative,  in  determining  the  date  of  La  Vie 
Seint  Edmund. 

The  latest  work  of  Marie,  the  Espurgatoire  Seint  Patriz, 
has  been  assigned  by  both  Gaston  Paris  and  Warnke  (cf. 
Rom.  XXIV,  p.  290,  1895,  and  Warnke's  edition  of  the 
Fables,  Int.,  pp.  115-117,  1898)  to  the  year  1190  or  there- 
abouts. Now,  though  it  seems  natural,  for  the  reasons 
given  above,  that  Denis  should  have  omitted  all  mention  of 
the  fables,  we  cannot  say  the  same  respecting  the  Espur- 
gatoire. Here  was  a  work  distinctly  religious  in  character, 
which  could  scarcely  have  failed  to  appeal  to  Denis  in  his 
role  of  penitent  and  reformer.  If  the  Espurgatoire  had 
already  appeared  at  the  time  when  he  began  the  Life  of 
St.  Edmund,  is  it  probable  that  he  would  have  passed  it  by 
in  silence?  If  Marie  too,  in  his  own  words,  had  "  set  her 
mind  upon  another  sort  of  achievement/'  would  not  Denis 
have  made  use  of  her  eminent  example  to  increase  the  force 
of  his  own  ? 

Conclusion : 

1.  Evidence  from  the  language  makes  it  almost  certain 
that  the  Vie  Seint  Edmund  was  composed  between  the  years 
1 1 70  and  1200. 

2.  Evidence  from  the  content  of  the  poem  makes  it  highly 
probable  that  it  was  written  between  11 90  and  1200. 


La  Vie  Seint  Edmund  le  Rei 


The  MS.  of  La  Vie  Seint  Edmund  was  copied  for  me  by  Mr.  E. 
A.  Herbert  of  the  British  Museum.  This  copy  was  subsequently 
collated  with  the  original  by  my  friend  Miss  Edith  Fahnestock, 
Mistress  of  Modern  Languages  of  the  Mississippi  College  for 
Women,  at  Columbus,  Mississippi.  My  sincere  thanks  are  due 
both  to  Miss  Fahnestock  and  Mr.  Herbert  for  their  careful  and 
accurate  work. 


LA  VIE  SEINT  EDMUND  LE  REI. 

Mult  ai  use  cume  pechere, 

Ma  vie  en  trop  fole  manere, 

E  trop  [par]  ai  use  ma  vie 

En  peche  e  en  folie, 
5  Kant  curt  hantei  of  les  curteis; 

Si  fesei  les  serventeis, 

Chanceunettes,  rimes  saluz, 

Entre  les  drues  e  les  druz. 

Mult  me  penai  de  tels  vers  fere, 
10  Ke  assemble  les  puse  [re]  treire, 

E  kensemble  fussent  justez 

Pur  acomplir  lur  volentez. 

Ceo  me  fit  fere  le  enemi ; 

Si  me  tint  ore  a  mal  baili. 
15  James  ne  me  burderai  plus. 

Jeo  ai  nun  Denis  Piramus ; 

Les  jurs  jolifs  de  ma  joefnesce 

Senvunt;  si  trei  jeo  a  veilesce, 

Si  est  bien  dreit  ke  me  repente; 
20  En  altre  ovre  metterai  mentente, 

Ke  mult  mieldre  est  e  plus  nutable. 

Deus  me  ait  espiritable, 

E  la  grace  Seint  Espirit 

Seit  of  mei  e  si  a'it ! 
25  Cil  ki  Partenope  trova, 

E  ki  les  vers  fist  e  rima, 

Mult  se  pena  de  bien  dire; 

Si  dist  il  bien  de  cele  matire, 

Cume  de  fable  e  de  menceonge. 
30  La  matire  resemble  songe; 

Kar  ceo  ne  poiist  unkes  estre. 

MS.  11.  2,  cum;  3,  E  trop  ai  (7syl);  5,  courte;  9,  teles;  10,  puise; 
creire;  16,  noun;  20,  oure;  22,  Dieus,  ayde;  24,  moy;  29,  cum., 
30,  suonge;    31,  put. 

(57) 


58  LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND 

Si  est  il  tenu  pur  bon  mestre, 

E  les  vers  sunt  mult  amez, 

E  en  ces  riches  curts  loez. 
35  E  Dame  Marie  altresi, 

Ki  en  rime  fist  e  basti, 

E  compensa  les  vers  de  lais, 

Ke  ne  sunt  pas  de  tut  verais; 

Si  en  est  ele  mult  loee, 
40  E  la  rime  par  tut  amee. 

Kar  mult  laiment,  si  lunt  mult  cher 

Cunte,  barun  e  chivaler. 

E  si  en  aiment  mult  lescrit, 

E  lire  le  funt,  si  unt  delit, 
45  E  si  les  funt  sovent  retreire. 

Les  lais  suelent  as  dames  pleire. 

De  joie  les  oient  e  de  gre, 

Quil  sunt  sulum  lur  volente. 

Li  rei,  li  prince  e  li  curtur, 
50  Cunte,  barun  e  vavasur, 

Aiment  cuntes,  chanceuns  e  fables 

E  bon  diz  qui  sunt  delitables; 

Kar  il  hostent  e  gettent  penser, 

Doil,  enui  e  travail  de  quer, 
55  E  si  funt  ires  ublier, 

E  del  quer  hostent  le  penser. 

Kant  cil  e  vus,  segnur  trestuit, 

Amez  tel  ovre  e  tel  deduit, 

Si  vus  volez  entendre  a  mei, 
60  Jeo  vus  dirrai,  par  dreite  fei, 

Un  deduit  qui  mielz  valt  asez, 

Ke  ces  altres  ke  tant  amez ; 

E  plus  delitable  a  oir, 

Si  purrez  les  almes  garir 
65  E  les  cors  garanter  de  hunte. 

Mult  deit  hum  bien  oir  tel  cunte, 

MS.  11.  34,  curtes;  39  E  si;  46,  soleient  (9  syl.);  49,  courtur;  50, 
cunt;  54,  travaile;  58,  oure;  60,  dreit;  61,  milez,  valut;j65,  garannter; 
66  and  67,  home. 


UMVER3JTY    1 


LA   VIE    SEINT    EDMUND  59 


Hum  deit  mult  mielz  a  sen  entendre, 

Ke  en  folie  le  tens  despendre. 

Un  dedut  par  vers  vus  dirrai, 
70  Ke  sunt  de  sen  e  si  verrai 

Kunkes  rien  ne  pout  plus  veir  estre, 

Kar  bien  le  virent  nos  ancestre, 

E  nus  en  apres  de  eir  en  eir, 

Avum  bien  veu  que  ceo  est  veir ; 
75  Kar  a  nos  tens  est  avenu 

De  ceste  oevre  meinte  vertu. 

Ceo  que  hum  veit,  ceo  deit  hum  creire. 

Kar  ceo  nest  pas  sunge  ne  arveire. 
Les  vers  que  vus  dirrai,  si  sunt 
80  Des  enfances  de  Seint  Edmunt, 

E  des  miracles  altresi ; 

Unkes  hum  plus  beals  nad  01. 

Rei,  due,  prince  e  empereur, 

Cunte,  barun  e  vavasur, 
85  Deivent  bien  a  ceste  oevre  entendre, 

Kar  bon  ensample  il  purrunt  prendre. 

Reis  deit  bien  oir  de  altre  rei, 

E  lensample  tenir  a  sei, 

E  due  de  due  e  quens  de  cunte ; 
90  Kant  la  reison  a  bien  amunte. 

Les  bones  genz  deivent  amer 

De  oir  retreire  e  recunter 

Des  bones  gestes  les  estoires 

E  retenir  en  lur  memoires. 
95  Ore  oiez,  Cristiene  gent, 

Vus  qui  en  Dieu  omnipotent 

Avez  e  fei  e  esperance, 

E  de  salvaciun  fiance, 

Li  seintime  ber  dunt  jeo  cunt, 
100  Li  bon  due,  li  pius  Edmunt, 

Fu  de  Sessoine  veirement, 

ML.  li.  72,  nostre,  75,  aveneu;  76,  verteu;  77,  home  (bis),  crere; 
8o,  enfantes;  81,  de;  82,  home,  ne;  83  emperur;  84,  cunt;  87,  rei; 
91,  93,  bons;   94,  e  lur;  99,  Le  seintim,  10 1,  Suessoyne. 


60  LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND 

Ne  de  reis  e  de  halte  gent, 
Des  anciens  Saisnes  fu  ne, 
Li  e  tute  sa  parente. 

105  Princes  e  reis  furent  ses  ancestre, 

E  il  apres  cum  il  dut  estre. 
Si  fu  en  Engletere  reis 
De  une  partie  des  Engleis ; 
Reis  e  dutre  fu  de  la  gent 

no  Del  pais  devers  orient. 

Kar  Engletere  en  icel  temps, 
Fu  departie  en  treis  sens, 
E  treis  princes  les  segnuries 
Aveient  de  ces  treis  parties, 

115  Kar  un  rei  aveit  en  chescune. 

Seint  Edmund  esteit  rei  del  une, 
De  cele  part  u  lalbe  crieve, 
E  u  lesteile  jurnal  lieve, 
E  u  le  soleil  lieve  en  est, 

120  Les  peisanz  le  claiment  Est. 

Ore  purreit  acun  doter, 
E  de  ceste  oevre  demander : 
Pur  quei  treis  reis  out  en  pais, 
En  eel  tens  ensemble  estais, 

125  E  Seint  Edmund  fut  un  des  treis ; 

Jeo  le  vus  dirrai  sempres  maneis. 
Kar  ainz  aveit  sanz  mesprisun 
Engletere  Bretaigne  a  nun, 
De  Brut  qui  sa  gent  i  mena, 

130  E  qui  la  tere  poplia 

Pus  la  tindrent,  de  rei  en  rei, 
En  bien,  en  pes  e  en  requei, 
Dekes  al  tens  de  Vortigerne, 
Qui  le  pais  mist  devers  Galerne. 

135  Pus  jesque  Uterpendragun, 

Tindrent  la  tere  li  Bretun. 


M.  S.  11.  103;  ancienes  sechnes ;   112,  departi;  117,  parte;  118,  iurnal; 
119,  soleile;  122,  oeuvre;  125,  de;  128,  noun;  135,  E  pus, 


°rThe    ■ 


■  ve*;TY 


LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND 

De  Uterpendragun  jesque  Arthur, 

La  tindrent  il  bald  e  seur. 

Apres  Arthur  la  tere  avint 
140  A  Cadawaladre  qui  la  tint. 

En  son  tens  vint  une  murine, 

Ke  lur  surt  de  une  famine, 

Ke  les  seisante  parz  e  mais 

De  la  faim  mururent  a  fais.  . 
145  Cadawaldre  qui  reis  fu 

Fu  mult  dolent  e  irascu 

De  la  gent  que  mururent  de  faim ; 

Ki  ne  aveient  ni  ble  ni  pain 

Dunt  pussent  vivre  un  repast. 
150  Le  pais  guerpirent  tut  gast. 

[E]  pur  la  mesese  quil  unt, 

En  Armoniche  tuz  sen  vunt, 

Ke  Petite  Bretaigne  ad  nun ; 

La  vait  li  reis  e  li  Bretun, 
155  Plurant,  criant,  fesant  grant  doel, 

Morz  voleient  estre  a  lur  voil. 

Suz  ciel  ne  ad  mesese  endreit  sei, 

Ke  tant  grief  cum  faim  en  sei. 

Meis  Alein  qui  sires  esteit 
160  De  eel  pais,  bel  les  resceit; 

Ki  les  dune  assez  guarisun 

Pain  e  vin,  char  a  fuisun, 

E  richement  fist  sujurner, 

Tant  cum  il  i  voldrent  ester. 
165  Dune  remist  Bretaigne  la  grant 

Sanz  home  e  feme  e  sanz  enfant. 

Trestut  le  pais  fu  gastine, 

•Fors  des  oisels  e  de  salvagine. 

Kant  les  poeples  ultremarins 

170  Qui  a  Bretaigne  furent  enclins 

MS.  11.  140  and  145,  Radawaladre;  147,  morerent,  148,  ne  (bis); 
151,  Pur  la  (7  syl.);  153,  petit,  ad  a  noun;  158,  greef;  161,  doune; 
166,  home,  f6me  (the  line  —  =  double  m  is  probably  due  to  the 
copyist). 


62  LA   VIE    SEINT    EDMUND 

Oirent  la  novele  dire, 

Que  les  Bretuns  unt  lur  empire 

Issi  deguerpi  e  leisse, 

Mult  en  furent  joius  e  le. 
175  Tost  unt  apreste  lur  navies, 

De  vitaile  e  de  ble  garnies, 

Cels  de  Sessoine  e  les  Engleis, 

E  de  Gutlande  les  Gutteis. 

Lur  nefs  aprestent  e  aturnent, 
180  E  lur  peise  ke  tant  sujurnent. 

Vitaile  amenent  a  delivre, 

Dunt  il  purrunt  bien  set  ans  vivre, 

E  riches  armes  a  plente, 

E  tute  manere  de  ble. 
185  De  ces  treis  teres  finement, 

I  vunt  mult  de  la  Viste  gent ; 
Li  pruz,  li  joefne  bacheler, 
Pur  los  e  pur  pris  conquester. 
Attendu  unt  e  demure 

190  Tanque  Dieus  lur  tramist  oure. 

Kant  il  virent  le  vent  estable, 

E  que  loure  fu  covenable, 

E  que  de  errer  apreste  sunt 

En  mer  se  mettent,  si  sen  vunt. 
195  Tant  se  penerent  de  sigler, 

Quil  sentre  ateinstrent  en  la  mer 

E  kant  il  pres  aprochiez  erent 

Les  uns  des  altres  se  doterent, 

Kar  nule  de  ces  treis  navies 
200  Ki  en  [la]  mer  sunt  departies, 

Ne  saveit  daltre,  ceo  est  la  veire, 

Que  en  Bretaigne  tenisent  eire. 

II  sentre  demanderent  quil  sunt, 
Dunt  il  vienent  e  u  il  vunt? 

205  Tant  unt  enquis,  tant  demande, 

MS.  11.  171,  oyerent;  174,  ioyuse  e  lee;  177,  Suessune;  179,  neefes; 
180,  suiournent;  181,  i  amenent  (9  syl.);  197,  aproiciez;  a 00  en  mer 
(7  syl.);    203  senter. 


LA    VIE   SEINT   EDMUND  63 

Quil  sentredient  verite: 

Ke  en  Bretaine  vunt  pur  conquere, 

Hors  de  lur  pais  e  de  lur  tere. 

Tant  unt  parle  les  chevetaines 
210  Des  treis  genz  e  des  treis  companies, 

Ke  trestuz  ensemble  se  alient, 

E  compainie  entrels  se  afient, 

E  quil  ensemble  se  tendrunt, 

E  james  ne  sentrefalderunt. 
215  Tant  unt  sigle,  tant  unt  curu, 

Quil  sunt  en  Bretaigne  venu. 

Dreit  vers  la  marine  del  North, 

Siglent,  vagent  e  prenent  port. 

Le  pais  trovent  delitable 
220  E  la  tere  bien  gainable. 

II  trovent  les  granz  gaineries, 

Bois  e  forest  e  praeries, 

Pescheries  bones  e  fines, 

E  sur  la  mer  bones  salines. 
225  Un  meis  il  unt  ja  demure, 

Tant  quel  pais  sunt  acerte; 

Dune  funt  les  granz  fosses  lever; 

Pur  els  garir  e  rescetter, 

Levent  bresteches  od  kernels, 
230  Ke  cuntrevalent  bons  chastels; 

De  hericeuns  e  de  paliz 

Les  ceinent;  si  funt  riuleiz 

Del  quer  des  cheines  forz  e  halz, 

Ki  ne  criement  sieges  ni  asalz. 
235  Bon  chastel  i  funt  e  bon  burg, 

Kum  claime  encore  Escardeburg. 

Pus  ne  se  sunt  pas  alongni, 

Kar  de  ble  furent  bien  garni ; 

Les  teres  laborent  e  erent, 
240  E  richement  les  cultiverent; 

Kar  mult  par  furent  a  eel  jur 

MS.  11.   aio,  De;   an,  ki;   222,   Boise;   223,  bons?  224,  bons;   233, 
burge;   236,  escardeburge;   24i,iour. 


64  LA   VIE    SEINT    EDMUND 

Cele  gent  bon  gaaignur. 

Tant  unt  en  tere  travaile, 

E  labore  e  gaaigne, 
245  Quil  aveient  en  tens  grant  plentez 

E  del  un  e  de  tuz  [les]  blez. 

En  Armoniche  est  tost  veneue 

La  novele,  e  tost  espandeue. 

Kant  les  Bretuns  loirent  dire, 
250  Grant  doel  en  aveient  e  grant  ire, 

Si  tost  cum  poent,  ariere  vindrent, 

En  Bretaigne  quil  primes  tindrent 

Od  tant  de  gent  cum  il  aveient, 

E  cum  il  areimer  purreient, 
255  II  se  aprochent  vers  cele  gent, 

Si  les  mandent  mult  cointement, 

E  lur  messages  les  tramettent, 

Ke  de  lur  tere  se  demettent, 

Ke  est  lur  dreit  e  lur  heritage ; 
260  Algent  deluc,  si  frunt  que  sage; 

E  sil  ne  volent  pur  amur 

Tost  issir  hors  de  lur  honur, 

Par  force  les  f erunt  aler ; 

Si  serra  pis  le  demurer. 
265  Kant  les  foreins  de  ultre  mer, 

Oirent  les  messagers  parler. 

E  il  escultent  e  entendent, 

Kil  la  tere  les  defendent, 

II  remandent  hardiement 
270  E  as  Bretuns  e  a  lur  gent 

Ke  tost  sen  algent  del  pais. 

U  si  ceo  nun,  si  serra  pis. 

Le  demurer,  as  branz  dascer 

Lur  covendra  a  desrainer. 
275  As  branz  de  ascer  e  od  la  lance 

Desrainerunt  la  demurance. 

MS.  11.  24a,  gaygnour;  344,  gayne  (7  syl.);  246,  tuz  blez  (7  syl.); 
a49,loyerent;  26 r,  amour  262,  honour;  266,  oyerent;  272,  noun;  276, 
desrynerunt. 


LA    VIE    SEINT   EDMUND  65 

II  sunt  del  desrainer  tut  prest, 

Ke  ceo  est  lur  tere  e  lur  conquest; 

Kar  kant  il  en  la  tere  entrerent 
280  Home  ne  feme  ni  troverent, 

Ki  de  rien  lur  contredist, 

Ne  ki  a  reisun  les  mist. 

Kar  en  la  tere  dune  vivant, 

Ne  out  home,  feme  ni  enfant. 
285  Les  Bretuns  i  sunt  pus  entrez, 

Folement  i  sunt  arivez. 

Ceo  les  mandent  bien  li  forein; 

La  bataile  averunt  els  demain. 
Kant  les  foreins  unt  respundeu, 
290  E  les  Bretuns  unt  entendeu, 

Ke  [cil]  la  bataile  requerent, 

Sachez  que  mult  sen  esmaierent; 

Kar  les  foreins  sunt  bien  armez 

E  plus  gent  unt  quil  nunt  de  asez. 
295  En  cuntre  un  de  els,  il  en  unt  katre. 

Nest  pas  ouwel  ( i )  icel  cumbatre. 

Nepurkant  les  Bretuns    (2) 

Sesbaldirent  cume  baruns. 

Lendemain  funt  lur  chivalers 
300  Armer  e  munter  lur  destriers, 

Od  tant  de  gent  cum  il  orent 

E  cum  il  aramir  porent. 

Od  les  foreins  dune  se  asemblerent, 

E  meint  rude  colp  [i]  donerent. 
305  E  les  foreins  ensement 

Se  cumbatirent  fierement; 

Od  branz,  od  haches,  od  espiez, 

Colpent  testes  e  poines  e  piez, 

Gettent  lur  grandes  pieres  rundes 

MS.  11.  277,  desreyner;  280  and  284,  home,  feme  (For  double  m  in 
these  words  here  and  elsewhere,  cf.  note  on  line  165) ;  291,  ke  la  (7  syl.); 
298,  cum;  302,  poerent;  304,  coupe  —  donerent;  307,  espeies;  309, 
roundes,  grant. 

Note  (1)  ouwel  <  aequalis.     (2):    Six  syllabled  line. 


66  LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND 

310  Od  lur  eslinges,  od  lur  fundes 

Od  les  haches  les  vunt  requere, 

Ke  tuz  les  fendent  desken  tere. 

Lancent  gavelocs  empennez, 

Dunt  il  unt  mil  emboucliez, 
315  Ke  tut  trespercent  al  primer  vol. 

Halberc  ne  valt  foile  de  chol. 
Kant  les  Bretuns  ne  pourent  mes 

Des  foreins  sustenir  le  fes, 

En  cumbatant  tienent  lur  veie 
320  Issi  que  nul  ne  se  desreie; 

Avant  enveient  la  rascaile, 

E  les  bestes  od  lur  vitaile ; 

Dreit  en  Gales,  les  chies  enclins, 

Tienent  e  veies  e  chemins, 
325  Que  Vortigerne  ot  poplie, 

Kant  de  Bretaine  fu  chacie 

Par  Horse  e  Henge  e  lur  gent ; 

Que  Vortigerne,  veirement, 

Out  ainz  atraiz  el  pais, 
330  Cume  soldeers  de  grant  pris. 

Tenu  les  out,  e  nuts  e  jurs, 

Feit  lur  out  bien,  e  granz  honurs, 

E  richement  les  soldeia, 

Reale  solde  les  dona. 
335  E  cil  guarderent  le  pais 

Bien  de  utlages  e  de  enemis. 

Pus  feseient  mult  grant  treisun 

Horse  e  Henge  e  lur  compainun. 

Le  rei  mandent  a  Ambresbire 
340  E  les  plus  halz  de  sun  empire ; 

E  il  i  vindrent  veirement 

Sanz  arme  cum  a  parlement. 

Meis  Horse  e  Henge  e  lur  mesnee, 

Pur  la  tere  quil  unt  coveitee, 

MS.  11.  315,  tresperce;  316  valt  un  foile  (9  syl.);  317,  purrent; 
331,  nutes,  iours;  332,  grant;  honours;  334'  E  reale  (9  syl.);  338,  sun 
companiun;    343,  mesne;  344,  covcite. 


LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND  67 

345  Vortigerne  unt  iluc  pris, 

E  les  altres  unt  tuz  occis 

Des  knivez  que  unt  en  musceuns, 

Que  riches  cuntes,  que  baruns, 

Katre  cent  e  ceisante  e  plus, 
350  Fors  sul  li  rei,  ne  eschapa  nuls. 

Vortigerne  qui  sen  embla 

E  dreit  en  Guales  senala, 

Si  i  hanta,  il  e  sa  gent, 

Ke  a  li  vindrent  coiement. 
355  Pur  seiirte  de  cele  gent 

E  quil  sunt  de  lur  parent, 

I  vunt  ceste  gent  descumfite. 
Li  reis  ki  el  pais  abite 

Bel  e  haltement  les  resceut, 
360  Cume  parenz  resceivre  dut. 

La  sunt  li  Bretun  areste, 

E  li  forein  sunt  returne, 

De  la  victoire  balz  e  lez 

E  quil  unt  les  Bretuns  chaciez. 
365  Issi  perdirent  li  Bretun 

Bretaine  e  Bretaine  sun  nun, 

E  pur  ceo  heient  les  Galeis 

Par  mortel  guere  les  Engleis. 

E  les  foreins  ultremarins 
370  Ki  sages  esteient  de  grant  fins, 

Vers  la  marine  repairerent, 

U  la  menue  gent  leisserent, 

Cume  de  femes  e  denfanz, 

E  de  anceles  e  de  serjanz. 
375  E  si  refirent  mult  que  sages : 

Pur  ceo  quil  sunt  de  treis  languages, 

II  eslistrent  entrels  treis  reis, 
De  chescun  language  des  treis, 
Ke  nuls  de  altre  dire  poiist, 

MS.  11.  347,musceouns,  349,ceisant;  350,  soul ^3 5 7  II  unt.descumfit; 
358,  abit|  36i,§les  bretuns;  362,  Les  foreins;;  366,  noun;"  376,  la- 
guages.     gP_- 


68  LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND 

380  Ke  greindre  segnurie  oust. 

E  apres  ceo  lur  loz  loterent 

E  la  tere  en  treis  departerent : 

A  eels  de  Angle  cha'i  le  su ; 

Liez  en  furent,  e  bel  lur  fu, 
385  Sicume  la  mer  lenvirune 

De  Tamise  dekes  Hamtune. 

De  eels  de  Angle  sanz  mesprisun 

Resceust  Engletere  sun  nun. 

Le  pais  del  North  altresi 
390  A  eels  de  Guthlande  chai ; 

Descoce  dekes  al  Humbre, 

Grant  erent,  ne  sai  le  numbre. 
A  un  fier  barun  de  Alemaine, 

Ki  ert  venu  od  la  compaine, 
395  Otrierent  entrels  Lindeseie 

Pur  sa  ruiste  chevalereie. 

Linde  apellerent  le  barun ; 

De  li  prist  Lindeseie  sun  nun. 
A  eels  de  Sessoine  ensement 
400  Cha'i  le  pais  del  orient, 

Sicume  la  mer  le  devise, 

De  Wytheme  dekes  Tamise, 

Riche  pais  e  gaainable, 

E  bon  e  dulz  e  delitable ; 
405  Mult  par  i  feit  bon  habiter. 

Al  un  coste  i  fiert  la  mer, 

Del  altre  part  est  li  mareis ; 

Asez  i  a  del  peissun  freis. 

Devant  est  de  granz  fosses  ceint, 
410  Ke  del  une  ewe  al  altre  ateint. 

Est  Angle  apelent  le  pais 

La  gent  ke  i  sunt  estais 

Ki  sunt  asasez  de  tuz  biens, 

MS.  11.  380,  eust;  381,  lotirent;  382,  department;  385,  Sicum; '388, 
noun;  392;  mumbre;  393,  almayne  (7  syl.);  398,  noun;J399,  sue- 
soine;  401,  sicum;  403,  gaynable  (7  syl.);  404,  douce;  405,  feirt; 
407,  parte;    408,  pessun;    410,  euwe. 


LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND  69 

Tut  sunt  manant,  ne  lur  fait  riens. 
415  Le  pais  est  de  treis  contrees 

Establies  de  bien  e  sazees : 

Northfolk,  Suthfolc,  Estsex  unt  nun; 

De  tuz  biens  i  ad  grant  fuisun. 

Les  Saisnes  furent  balz  e  lez 
420  Kar  mult  furent  bien  herbergiez. 

Bien  garderent  eel  est  pais, 

Apres  long  tens,  e  anz  e  dis ; 

E  pus  tramistrent  sanz  essoine 

Lur  messages  deske  a  Sessoine, 
425  Pur  lur  freres,  pur  lur  cosins 

Pur  lur  amis,  pur  lur  veisins ; 

Kant  il  vindrent,  bien  venuz. 

Sunt  el  pais  e  bien  receuz ; 

Si  poeplierent  la  cuntree, 
43°  U  gastee  fu  e  desertee. 

En  richesce  e  joie  e  en  pes 

Vesquirent,  e  lur  eirs  apres. 

Un  rei  aveient,  ceo  fu  le  veir, 

Prodome  mult  de  grant  saveir: 
435  Offe  out  nun,  si  fu  apelle, 

Bon  chivaler,  sage  e  sene. 

E  Cristiente  mult  ama. 

E  Seinte  eglise  enhalcea. 

Cil  fu  de  Est  Angle  rei  secund, 
440  Devant  le  rei  Seint  Edmund. 

Li  reis  Offe  fu  mult  marriz 

De  ceo  quil  ne  out  file  ne  fiz, 

A  qui  il  puse  deviser 

La  regiun  a  son  finer. 
445  Plusurs  penses  out  en  curage; 

A  la  parfin  pensa  que  sage, 

Ke  a  Jerusalem  irra 

E  Jesu  Crist  depriera 

MS.  11.  417,  noun;  419,  suesunes,  leez;  428,  en;  430,  gaste;  432, 
vesquierent;  435,  noun,  441,  Le  rey;  442,  filee;  444,  le  regum;  445, 
avait  (9  syl.);    446,  al  parfin  (7  syl.). 


JO  LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND 

Ke  Jesu  Crist  li  doint  tel  eir 
450  Ki  digne  seit  del  regne  aveir. 

Si  purposa  a  la  parfin, 

Ke  par  Sessoine  ert  sun  chemin, 

Par  sun  Cusin  qui  reis  esteit, 

E  qui  Sessoine  mainteneit. 
455  II  fet  tost  son  eire  aprester, 

Kar  il  ne  volt  plus  sujurner 

Primerement  ad  pris  cunge 

A  seinte  eglise  e  al  clerge, 

Pus  pris  cunge  a  ses  princers, 
460  As  baruns  e  as  chivalers ; 

E  son  regne  les  comanda 

E  mult  dulcement  les  pria. 

Quil  tenisent  dreite  justise, 

E  enhalceasent  seinte  eglise. 
465  Dune  se  met  en  mer,  si  senturne; 

Dekes  Sessoine  ne  sujurne. 

Li  reis  qui  son  cosin  esteit 

Bel  e  haltement  le  receit ; 

Mult  se  pena  de  li  joir 
470  E  richement  le  fist  servir 

Des  brauns  e  des  veneisuns, 

E  des  cignes  e  des  pouns, 

De  vessele  de  or  e  de  argent, 

Vin  de  Claree  e  de  piment. 
475  Servir  le  feit  de  vint  dancels, 

Des  plus  nobles  e  des  plus  bels 

E  qui  mielz  sunt  enparente, 

E  des  plus  halz  de  sun  regne. 

Son  fiz  demeine  fist  le  reis 
480  Le  rei  Offe  servir  a  deis. 

Edmund  nomerent  le  meschin ; 

Mult  par  esteit  beals,  de  grant  fin ; 

Suz  ciel  ni  ad  home  vivant, 

MS.  11.  456,  voult,  suiourner;  458,  clergie;  460,  a  chivalers;  462, 
milt;  463,  dreit;  465,  se;  466,  sujournc;  472,  cyngnes;  473,  vessel; 
474,  De  vyn;  479,  demene;  481,  E  Edmund  (9  syl.);  483,  nad  (7  syl.). 


LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND  Jl 

Ki  unke  veist  plus  bel  enfant. 
485  E  od  les  bealtes  quil  aveit 

Sur  tute  rien  curteis  esteit 

E  plein  de  grant  ensegnement; 

Suz  ciel  ni  ad  afaitement 

Dunt  il  ne  fut  endoctrine. 
490  De  tute  gent  esteit  ame 

E  si  out  une  rien  en  sei : 

Dieu  e  Cristiente  e  fei 

Ama  sur  tutes  altres  riens. 

Tant  out  en  li  bunte  e  biens 
495  Ke  fort  me  serreit  le  retreire. 

Tant  fut,  estre  ceo,  de  boneire, 

Quil  ama  tute  bone  gent 

E  tute  gent  li  ensement. 

Li  enfant  mult  se  penout, 
500  Sa  cure  il  mist  de  tant  quil  pout 

De  servir  le  rei  pelerin ; 

Mult  le  servit  bel  le  meschin. 
Li  reis  Offe  mult  aime  e  prise 

Edmund  lenfant  e  son  servise; 
505  Ses  paroles  e  son  semblant 

E  sa  bealte  qui  tant  ert  grant; 

Sovent  recorde  en  sa  purpense, 

Si  se  mervaile  de  son  sens, 

E  ke  enfant  de  si  tendre  age 
510  Est  si  pruz,  si  coint  [e]  si  sage 

E  ke  servir  vit  le  le  dancel 

Tant  asenement  e  bel. 

Mult  recorda  ses  fez,  ses  diz, 

Si  desira  quil  fust  son  fiz. 
515  Kant  li  reis  Offe  out  sujurne, 

En  Sessoine  a  sa  volente, 

Son  eire  volt  tenir  avant, 

Ke  mult  esteit  e  long  e  grant. 

MS.  11.  484,  veit;  486;  tut;  488,  nad;  490,  genz;  494,  bounte,  498, 
ensemenent;  501,  sevir,  pelryn  (7  syl.);  503,  rei;  506,  baealte  (a  marked 
for  cancellation) ;  510,  cointe  si;    515,  suiourne,  le  rei. 


J2  LA   VIE    SEINT    EDMUND 

Cunge  ad  demande  al  rei, 
520  E  as  baruns  quil  out  od  sei. 

E  eels  deprient  Dieu  le  grant 

Pitusement  [e]  en  plurant 

Que  Dampnedieus  par  son  pleisir 

Li  doint  salve  veie  tenir 
525  E  salf  venir  e  salf  aler, 

E  en  son  pais  returner 

Li  enfant  Edmund  tendrement 

Plure  pur  Offe  son  parent. 

Li  reis  Offe  qui  sen  veit 
530  Pitie  en  ad  e  grant  doel  feit, 

E  li  reis  Offe  a  sei  le  apele, 

De  ses  mains  terst  sa  face  bele, 

Si  li  dist :  "Bel  fiz  Edmund, 

Dieus  bone  cresance  vus  doind !" 
535  Devant  els  trestuz  lenbrascea 

E  sovente  fez  le  beisa. 

De  son  dei  treist  un  anel  de  or ; 

La  piere  valust  grant  tresor. 

II  tendi  avant  eel  anel, 
540  Si  lad  done  al  damisel. 

E  dist :  "Beal  fiz,  cest  dun  tenez ; 

Pur  la  meie  amur  le  gardez ; 

Cest  dun  vus  dune  en  remembrance. 

Entre  nus  deus  seit  conuisance 
545  De  parente,  de  cusinage, 

E  que  nus  sumes  de  un  liniage, 

E  ke  vuz  remembrez  de  mei. 

Par  cest  anel  de  nostre  dei, 

Graces  e  grant  merci  vus  rend, 
550  De  Dampnedieu  omnipotent, 

Del  bel  servise  e  del  bel  het, 

E  del  honur  que  me  avez  fet. 

Jeo  vus  estui  mult  greniur  dun 

MS.  11.  520,  barunes;  522,  Pitousement  en  (7  syl.);  524,  doyne; 
525,  saf;  526,  retourner;  529,  rei;  534,  crejnce;535,  lembrajea;  536, 
Sovent  (7  syl.).  541  doun;   542,  moy;   543,  doygne;   551,  service, 


LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND  73 

En  curage  e  entenciun. 
555  Si  ariere  pus  repairer, 

Durrai  vus  paternel  louwer, 

Si  nostre  seint  pere  Jesu 

Ad  mon  repairer  purveu. 

Kant  li  enfant  le  anel  receust 
560  Mult  li  mercie  cum  il  dust. 

Son  pere  charnel  qui  ceo  vit, 

En  brancha  sei  e  si  sen  rit ; 

Par  geu  li  dust  [e]  en  gabant: 

"Ai !  ore  Edmund  bien  est  atant ! 
565  Pur  pere  me  avez  deguerpi 

E  le  rei  Offe  avez  choisi. 

II  vus  gard  des  ore  en  avant, 

Cume  pere  deit  fere  enfant ; 

E  vus  le  servez,  matin  e  seir, 
570  Cume  pere  a  vostre  poeir. 

Ne  ai  soin  de  mirer  pur  le  mien 

Altri  enfant,  ceo  sachez  bien." 
Offe  le  rei  mult  se  delite 

De  la  parole  quil  ad  dite. 
575  Lenfant  [si]  tost  [il]  apellast 

A  sei,  sil  prist  e  enbrasceast ; 

Si  [ad]  treit  hors  de  sa  almonere 

Un  anel  de  or  od  une  piere 

Ke  mult  ert  riche,  de  grant  fin. 
580  A  Edmund  le  mustra,  son  cosin. 

Le  anel  li  ad  Offe  mustre 

Quil  resceust  kant  fu  curune 

Del  evesque  quil  benesqui, 

E  de  son  ceptre  le  seisi. 
585  "Edmund,  fiz,"  fist  il,  "esgardez 

Cest  anel  e  bien  le  avisez, 

E  le  semblant  e  la  f eiture, 

Cum  il  est  fet  e  en  quele  mesure, 

MS.  11.  554,  doun;  555,  puse;  559,  lenfant;  563,  dist  en  (7  syl.); 
565,  piere;  566,  chosi;  568  and  570  cum;  571,  son;  575,  Lenfant  tost 
apellast  (6  syl.);    577,  Si  treit;  582,  Kant  il  fu  (9  syl.). 


74  LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND 

Ke  bien  conustre  le  puissez 
590  E  ke  vus  bien  le  conoissez. 

Kar  si  jeo  mester  de  vus  ai 

Ces  enseignes  vus  trametterai, 

Ke  facez  mon  comandement, 

Si  ne  vus  retreiez  nient. 
595  Tut  le  feites,  de  chief  en  chief, 

Kanque  vus  manderai  par  brief. 

Le  anel  gardez  par  dreite  fei, 

Si  vus  ja  vivez  plus  de  mei. 

Beals  fiz  chers,  des  ore  en  avant, 
600  Vus  amerei  cum  mon  enfant 

E  durrei  vostre  gareison 

Si  pus  aver  possessiun. 
Li  enfant  mult  le  mercie. 

Li  reis  Offe  od  sa  cumpanie 
605  Fist  trusser  ses  sumers  aneire, 

Cunge  ad  pris,  si  tint  son  eire. 

Li  reis  de  Sessoine  le  conveie 

Dedenz  Sessoine  bien  grant  veie. 

A  Dampnedieu  lad  comande 
610  -     Si  sen  est  atant  returne 

Offe  li  reis,  il  e  sa  gent, 

Of  mult  noble  aparailement, 

Od  bele  gent,  od  grant  aver, 

Ere  el  chemin,  matin  e  seir. 
615  Tant  se  pena  li  bers  derrer, 

Ke  par  [la]  tere,  ke  par  [la]  mer, 

Ke  en  Jerusalem  est  venuz, 

Tut  sein,  [tut]  halegre  [e]  tut  druz; 

Kil  unkes  home  ne  perdi 
620  Ne  cumpainun,  la  Dieu  merci. 

Offe  od  granz  afflicciuns. 

Fist  almoines  e  ureisuns, 

Cume  pelerin  fin  e  pius, 

MS.  11.  597,  dreit  (7  syl.);  602,  puse;  604,  rei;  607,  rei;  614,  E  ere 
e  chemin  e  matin  e  seir;  615,  ber;  616,  Ke  par  tere,  ke  partner;  618, 
tut  sein  halegre  tut  druz  (7  syl.);    622,  urisuns;    623,  cum. 


LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND  75 

As  eglises  e  as  seinz  lius, 
625  U  Jesus  Crist  fu  morz  e  vifs, 

E  al  sepulcre  u  il  fu  mis ; 

Son  offerende  fit  riche  e  real 

E  al  temple  e  al  hospital, 

A  chapeles  e  a  musters 
630  U  besoin  esteit  e  mestiers ; 

A  pelerins,  a  besoinus, 

Ki  de  aver  erent  suffreitus, 

Fist  li  reis  Offe  tant  doner, 

Ken  lur  pais  pourent  realer. 
635  Kant  li  reis  out  par  tut  oure 

E  en  tuz  les  bons  lius  este, 

Ne  voleit  plus  tenir  sujur; 

Vers  son  pais  prist  le  retur. 

II  erra  tant  par  ses  jurnez, 
640  Ke  par  chemins  ke  par  estrez, 

Ke  al  braz  Seint  Jorge  vint  tut  dreit, 

Kar  par  la  son  chemin  esteit. 

Hue  li  prist  maladie  si  grant, 

Si  angususe  e  si  pesant 
645  Kil  ne  puet  [en]  avant  errer; 

Hue  li  estuet  sujurner. 

Veirs  est  kum  dit  en  lescripture : 

"Sage  est  ki  en  Dieu  mette  sa  cure, 

Ki  en  son  quer  ad  conferme, 
650  Fei,  esperance  e  charite." 

Par  tut  puet  aler  asez  seur, 

Sil  murt,  si  murge  a  bon  eur ; 

Kar  en  lome  nest  pas  sa  veie, 

Ainz  est  en  Dieu  qui  le  conveie. 
655  Hum  suelt  dire  e  so  vent  avient : 

"Tel  vait  hors  qui  ne  pas  revient." 

MS.  11.  625,  mort;  629,  chapels;  630,  bosoyne,  631,  boseynuses; 
632,  stiff reituses ;  633,  rei;  634,  porent;  637  suiour;  638,  retour; 
639,  iournez;  641,  brace;  643,  (9  syl.);  645,  Kil  ne  put  avant 
errer  (7  syl.);  646,  suiourner;  651,  put;  655,  Home  soleit,  avent*(io 
syl-);   656,  Til,  revent. 


?6  LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND 

Si  fu  de  cest  rei  pelerin, 

Ki  Dampnedieu  prist  en  chemin 

De  Jerusalem,  u  Jesus  Crist 
660  Ala,  marcha  e  nus  conquist. 

Dieus  vit  que  cesti  fu  fet 

De  trestuz  ses  pechez  net, 

E  aveit  ces  treis  [riens]  en  sei : 

Charite,  esperance  e  fei. 
665  Pur  ceo  le  vult  Dieus  a  sei  prendre 

E  en  sa  glorie  sein  le  rendre : 
Li  reis  Offe  fu  malades  fort, 

Nul  ne  le  puet  garir  de  la  mort, 

Fors  Dieus  quad  tuz  a  governer. 
670  Li  reis  fist  ses  privez  mander, 

E  il  i  vindrent  errantment, 

Pur  lur  segnur  triste  e  dolent. 

"Segnurs,"  fist  il,  "mes  chers  amis, 

Le  mal  est  fort  dunt  jeo  languis. 
675  Ne  vei  altre  rien  fors  la  mort, 

Envers  ki  ne  est  nul  resort. 

Mult  me  avez  lealment  servi, 

E  bien  e  bel  entresque  ci ; 
v  E  uncore  ai  mester  mult  grant 
680  Ke  vus  me  reservez  avant, 

E  vos  feies  me  afeiez 

Ke  mon  comandement  ferez. 

Veez  vus,  segnurs,  cest  anel, 

Ke  jeo  mustrai  al  damisel, 
685  A  Edmund,  le  fiz  mon  cosin, 

Kant  ceo  endreit  pris  le  chemin 

Par  Sessoine,  u  jeo  sujurnai ; 

U  cest  anel  a  li  mustrai? 

De  cest  brief  le  ferez  present, 
690  E  de  cest  anel  ensement ; 

Dites  li,  ke  saluz  li  mand, 

MS.  11.  663,  treis  —  en  (7  syl.);  666;  seinement;  667,  rei;  668,  put; 
671,  errantement  (9  syl.);  675,  morte;  676,  kei,  resorte;  687,  suiour- 
nay;  688,  li;  689,  breif,  freez. 


LA   VIE    SEINT    EDMUND  J  J 

E  par  cest  anel  li  comand, 

Trestut  mon  regne  a  governer, 

En  Estangle,  ultre  la  mer, 
^95  Quil  seit  [e]  sire  e  prince  e  rei 

E  quil  prie  pur  lalme  de  mei. 

Segnurs  sovent  avez  veii, 

Si  en  estes  aparceii 

Kant  en  un  realme  ad  segnur 
700  Ki  par  justise  e  par  amur 

La  gent  governe  sagement, 

Kil  ne  se  blesme  de  neient ; 

Si  en  eel  point  murt  e  dechiet, 

Ne  quidez  vus  qual  poeple  griet  ?" 
705  "Si  est  il,"  feit  li  reis,  "de  mei 

Ki  jesque  ci  ai  este  rei 

De  Est  Angle,  ore  ne  pus  avant. 

Bel  les  ai  gardes  cea  en  ariere, 
710  E  bien  en  dreiture  pleniere, 

Ke  unkes  par  ma  coveitise, 

Ni  par  sufreite  de  justise 

Ne  perdi  nuls  rien  de  son  dreit. 

Dampnedieus  mercie  en  seit! 
715  Meis  ore  avera  grant  mestier 

De  sage  rei  e  bon  justiser, 

Ki  pais  e  justise  maintienge, 

E  en  amur  le  poeple  tienge. 

Jeo  ne  sai  nul  plus  acceptable, 
720  Ni  al  poeple  plus  covenable, 

Kant  jeo  muir  e  trei  a  me  fin, 

Ke  Edmund  le  fiz  mon  cusin. 

Beals  est  de  cors,  dulz  en  saveir, 

Pruz  e  forz  e  de  grant  poer; 
725  E  de  real  liniage  est  nez. 

Par  Sessoine  vus  en  irrez, 

MS.  11.  695,  Quil  seit  sire;  (7  syl.);  700,  justice;  707,  puse;  713, 
nul;  714,  Dampnedieu;  715,  avereit;  717,  maintinge;  718,  amur, 
teing;  720,  ne  (7  syl.);  721,  murge;  723,  Beal,  douce;  724,  fort; 
725,  reale. 


?8  LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND 

Sanz  feintise,  tut  [a]  estrus; 

Le  amenez  en  Estangle  od  vus 

E  ceo  me  afierez  vus  ore  bien 
730  Que  vus,  pur  aver  ne  pur  rien, 

Ne  serrez  en  liu  ne  en  estal, 

U  ja  li  mien  ceptre  real 

Seit  otrie,  u  seit  done, 

Si  la  nun  u  lai  comande." 
735  Li  reis  prist  de  els  le  serement 

E  les  chargea  parf undement ; 

A  Dieu  apres  les  comanda, 

E  sa  benesciun  les  dona. 

Kant  li  reis  aveit  feit  sa  devise, 
740  E  des  prelats  de  seinte  eglise, 

Aveit  resceu  confessiun, 

E  de  tuz  ses  pechez  pardun, 

Unk  pus  a  els  ne  parla  mot ; 

Li  reis  sa  buche  e  ses  oilz  clot. 
745  Entre  lur  mains  iluc  fini, 

E  lalme  del  cors  dune  parti. 

Unkes  enemis  nout  pussance, 

Kar  il  murust  en  tele  creance, 

Quil  out  ces  treis  choses  en  sei : 
750  Charite,  esperance  e  fei. 

De  Jesus  Crist  traist  a  fin 

Rei  enoint  e  umble  pelrin 

Angels  de  ciel,  qui  prez  i  erent, 

En  parais  lalme  porterent. 
755  Cesti  OfTe  dunt  jeo  vus  di, 

[E]  ki  si  seintement  fini 

E  de  sa  vie  traist  a  fin, 

En  leire  Dieu  e  en  le  chemin, 

Ne  fu  pas  Offe,  lenemis, 
760  Li  reis,  li  tirant  des  marchis, 

Ki  Seint  Ayelbrict,  le  barun, 

MS.  11.  727;  tut  estrus;  731,1m;  734,  noun;  735,  le  rei;  739,  le 
rey;  740,  prelates;  743,  unkes  (9  syl.);  744,  rey,  bouche;  756,  Ki  si 
(7  syl.);   757,  al  fin;    760,  le  rei. 


LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND  79 

Trai,  cum  encriesme  felun, 

E  en  son  prisun  fist  gisir. 

E  meinte  peine  fist  sufrir, 
765  E  cruelement  son  cors  pena, 

E  a  la  parfin  decola. 

Un  altre  Offe  uncore  i  aveit, 

De  Sessoine  qui  reis  esteit. 

Les  Sessoineis  orientals 
770  Governa  cume  bons  vassals; 

Cil  fu  produm  e  justisers, 

E  sage  reis  e  dreiturels. 

Si  ama  Dieu  e  verite, 

E  maintint  la  Cristiente. 
775  Kil  ama  Dieu  bien  i  parut ; 

Devant  ceo  quil  morut, 

Par  la  grace  Seint  Espirit, 

Sicum  Dieus  rova  en  lescrit, 

Deguerpi  cil  feme  e  enfanz, 
780  Fiz  e  filles,  petiz  e  granz, 

E  son  pais  e  son  regne, 

E  ses  homes  e  son  barne, 

Si  prist  le  screp  e  le  burdun, 

Trestut  a  pe,  cume  poiin, 
785  En  pelerinage  sen  veit, 

Vers  [le]  seint  Pere,  a  Rome  dreit, 

A  lapostoile  Costentin. 

De  li  se  fist  li  pelerin 

Tundre  e  feire  moine  profes ; 
790  Si  servit  Dieu  tuz  jurs  apres, 

E  en  labit  longment  vesqui, 

E  en  labit  sa  vie  fini. 

Lalme  de  li,  ceo  dit  lestorie, 

Resceiit  Dieus  en  sa  glorie. 
795  De  cil  Offe  dunt  jeo  di  ci, 

Ne  de  cil  qui  Seint  Ayelbrict  trai, 

MS.  11.  764,  meyte;  768,  rei;  770,  cum  bon  (7  syl.);  771,  prodome; 
774,  meinteint;  784,  cum;  785,  pelrinage  (7  syl.);  786,  vers  seint; 
789,  moigne. 


80  LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND 

Ne  fu  pas  Offe,  li  palmiers, 

Li  saint  hum  e  li  dreiturers 

Ki  del  sepulcre  repairant, 
800  Resceut  maladie  si  grant 

Quil  morust  en  cele  manere 

Cum  jeo  vus  ai  dit  cea  en  arere. 

Cil  fut  un  des  reis  sen  eghan  (1) 

Ki  dedenz  ceissant  e  un  an, 
805  Regnerent  devant  Seint  Edmund, 

Le  derein  dels  e  le  secund 

De  Seint  Edmund,  le  bon  barun, 

Fu  cesti  Offe  sanz  mesprisun, 

Qui  al  braz  Seint  Jorge  fu  mort, 
810  Dunt  grant  damage  fu  e  fort; 

De  ki  mort  sa  gent  funt  tel  doel, 

Morz  voldreient  estre  a  lur  voel. 

Mult  demenerent  grant  dolur 

Les  genz  Offe  pur  lur  segnur. 
815  Li  seneschal,  li  buteilier, 

Li  chamberleng,  li  dispenser, 

Usser  [e]  cou,  e  li  serjant, 

Pover  e  riche,  petit  e  grant 

Plurent,  crient  e  tel  doel  funt, 
820  II  nad  si  dur  home  en  cest  mund 

Qui  ve'ist  lur  contenement, 

Ke  nust  tendrur  e  marrement 
Kant  unt  lur  grant  doel  demene, 

E  lur  segnur  unt  entere, 
825  Vers  lur  pais  la  veie  tienent, 

E  par  mi  Sessione  sen  vienent. 
Al  rei  de  Sessoine  vienent  dreit, 

Qui  cosin  lur  segnur  esteit, 

Si  li  cunterent  la  dolur, 

MS.  11.  798,  home;  803,  de;  812,  volient;  817,  Usser  cou  (7  syl.); 
820,  dure. 

Note  (1).  sineingenio:  cf.  Paul  Meyer  in  Glossarial  note  of  Arnold's 
edition,  Memorials  St.  Edmund's  Abbey,  Vol.  II,  p.  398.  Neither 
word  occurs  again  in  this  form  in  our  text. 


LA   VIE    SEINT    EDMUND  8l 


830  E  la  perde  de  lur  segnur. 

Kant  il  [1]  01  mult  li  desplout; 

Unkes  mes  si  grant  doel  ne  out. 

Li  reis  en  une  chambre  entra, 

E  son  cosin  mult  regreta. 
835  Plure,  waiment  e  tel  doel  fet, 

Ke  nel  poeit  nuls  mettre  en  het. 

En  la  chambre  treis  jurs  estut, 

Quil  unkes  ne  mangea  ne  but, 

Ne  ne  fina  de  doluser 
840.  Ni  ne  volt  a  home  parler. 

Kant  Edmund  o'i  la  novele, 

Del  rei  Offe,  ne  li  f u  bele ; 

Einz  fist  li  enfant  doel  si  grant, 

Unkes  ne  veistes  enfant 
845  Qui  greindre  doel  ni  marrement  1 

Oust  pur  cosin  ne  pur  parent. 
Li  Seneschal  Offe  le  rei, 

Ki  les  genz  Offe  mene  o  sei, 

A  la  chambre  le  rei  senturne, 
850  Pur  son  segnur  e  triste  e  murne. 

Deus  compainuns  od  sei  mene, 

De  sa  compainie  demeine,  J 

Des  plus  halz  e  des  plus  vailanz, 

Des  plus  sages,  des  mielz  sachanz. 
855  A  la  chambre  le  rei  entrerent, 

E  dulcement  le  conforterent.  « 

"Sire,"  funt  il,  "lessez  ester ; 

Lessez  de  vostre  doluser 

Kar  bien  savez  que  tuz  murrum, 
860  E  eschapper  [nuls]  ne  purrum, 

Ja  par  plur  ne  doluserie, 

Ne  recovera  mort  la  vie. 

Meis  tant  i  puet  hum  gaaigner : 


MS.  II.  831,  oi;  833,  rei;  836,  nul;  840,  ne  voult;  843,  lenfant  (7 
syl.);  853,  de  plus  (bis)  haulz;  854,  de  mielz;  857,  Sir;  860,  eschaper 
ne  purrum  (7  syl.);  861,  Ja  par  plure  ne  par  doluserie  (10  syl.);  863, 
put  home  gaynier. 


82 


LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND 


Les  oilz  e  le  cors  enpirer. 
865  Kant  nul  ne  puet  el  conquester, 

Bien  devez  laisser  le  plurer, 

E  recoverer  vostre  comfort, 

E  feire  bien  pur  lalme  al  mort 

(Nus  avum  en  a  conseilier) 
870  Que  doluser  e  waimenter." 

"Reis,  nus  sumes,  tut  a  estrus, 

Pur  grant  chose  venuz  a  vus ; 

Kar  Reis  Offe,  tant  cum  il  jut 

En  maladie  dunt  apres  murut, 
875  Kant  il  senti  quil  dut  murir, 

Tuz  nus  fist  devant  sei  venir, 

E  si  nus  fist  sur  seinz  jurer, 

E  nos  feies  nus  fist  after, 

Que  nus  tuz,  estruseement, 
880  Ferum  [tut]  son  comandement. 

Pus,  nus  comencea  a  retreire 

De  vostre  lin,  de  vostre  eire ; 

Kant  il  out  longement  retraiz 

Vos  bons  overs  e  vos  [bien]  feiz, 
885  Si  parla  de  Edmund,  vostre  fiz, 

Cum  il  est  beals  e  escheviz, 

Sages  e  pruz,  dulz  e  membrez, 

Curteis,  enseignez  e  senez. 

Pus  hosta  le  anel  de  son  dei, 
890  Quil  receust  kant  il  fut  fet  rei, 

Le  anel  qua  vostre  fiz  mustra, 

Kant  de  cest  pais  sen  ala 

Vers  Jerusalem  u  nus  fumes, 

E  u  la  grant  perde  resceumes, 
895  De  li  que  si  avum  perdu, 

Li  rei  Offe,  qui  produm  fu. 

II  nus  comanda  finement 

Que  nus  par  icel  serement, 

MS.  11.  873,  rei,  iut;  879,  estrusement ;  880  Ferum  —  son  (7  syl.); 
883,  longment;  884,  vos  feiz  (7  syl.);  887,  sage  (7  syl.),  dulce;  888, 
ensegnez;    889,  and  890,  bracketed  in  MS;    896,  prodome. 


LA   VIE    SEINT    EDMUND  83 

Kil  devant  li  nus  fist  jurer, 
900  A  mielz  quil  soust  deviser, 

Sur  les  relikes  vertuuses, 

Seintes,  riches  e  pretiuses, 

A  mielz  quil  nus  soust  escharir 

E  la  parole  mielz  furnir, 
905  Ke  par  cest  anel  que  tenum, 

E  que  nus  ici  vus  musterum, 

Seisisum  Edmund,  vostre  fiz, 

Del  realme  e  des  apentiz 

De  Estangle,  e  de  tut  le  pais, 
910  Cum  il  mielz  lout  quant  il  fu  vifs. 

Son  ceptre  e  sa  corune  de  or, 

Sa  veissele  e  tut  son  tresor, 

Nus  ad  Reis  Offe  comande, 

Que  a  vostre  fiz  seit  tut  livere. 
915  Uncore  i  ad  en  le  serement, 

E  es  fiances  ensement, 

Que  ne  poeum  pas  sujurner 

Ni  en  cest  pais  demurer 

For  sulement  une  quinzaine ; 
920  E  dedenz  eel  terme  demeine, 

Devum  vostre  fiz  mettre  en  mer, 

E  en  Estangle  od  nus  mener, 

Si  vent  nostre  eire  ne  deslaie 

De  tant  nus  porta  il  manaie." 
925  Li  reis  responst :  "Seneschal,  mestre, 

Ceo  ke  vus  dites  ne  puet  estre, 

Kar  nel  otreiereie  mie, 

De  Edmund,  mon  fiz  la  departie; 

Pur  tut  laveir,  ceo  est  la  sume, 
930  Kest  de  Sessoine  deske  a  Rome, 

Ne  otreiereie  le  sevrer, 

Ni,  si  feiterement,  mener 

Si  loinz  de  mei  mon  fiz  Edmund. 

MS.  11.  900,  sout;    912,  treisor;    916,  E  en  fiances;  917,  suioumer; 
919,  soulement;  922,  amener;  926,  put;  932  otrieray;  933,  mey. 


84  LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND 

Nel  fereie  pur  tut  le  mund." 
935  Mult  fu  produm  li  seneschals, 

Sages  e  queint  e  bons  vassals. 

"Rei,"  fet  il,  "ne  te  pas  merveile, 

Meis  prenez  vus  altre  conseile, 

Si  vus  devez  le  retenir, 
940  Kil  ne  deive  of  nus  venir. 

Par  egard  de  Cristiente 

Si  hum  la  garde  en  lealte, 

Bien  il  deit  venir,  sire  rei, 

E  vus  sai  bien  dire  purquei : 
945  Pur  salver  nostre  serement, 

E  nos  fiances  ensement, 

Ke  me'imes  pur  li  en  gage. 

Grant  doel  sereit,  e  grant  damage, 

Ke  tanz  e  de  tele  parente, 
950  Cum  nus  sumes,  fusum  dampne 

Pur  le  venir  e  pur  le  aler, 

Dun  enfant  jesques  ultre  mer; 

E  revenist  quant  il  voldreit, 

Ja  nul  hum  nel  cuntre  estereit 
955  Quil  ne  poiist  [en]  revenir 

Kant  il  voldra,  a  son  pleisir. 
Li  reis  est  en  plusurs  purpens, 

Si  se  purpense  en  plusurs  sens, 

Si  les  dit  estruseement, 
960  Ke  lenfant  ne  amenerunt  nient. 

E  nepurkant  a  la  parfm, 

De  la  chambre  ist,  le  chief  enclin. 

En  la  sale  vient  errantment, 

Si  se  est  asis  entre  sa  gent; 
965  Ses  ercevesques  ad  mandez, 

Ses  evesques  e  ses  abbez, 

Cuntes,  baruns  e  ses  princiers, 

MS.  11.  934,  ferei,  mound;  935,  produme,  seneschal;  936,  Sage 
queint  e  bon  vassal;  937-8,  mervaile,  consaile;  941,  agarde;  94a, 
home;  943,  Sir;  950,  susum;  952,  iesque;  954,  home;  955,  pust;  963, 
erraument. 


LA   VIE    SEINT    EDMUND  85 

E  vavasurs  e  chivaliers, 

[E]  cunseil  les  ad  demande, 
970  De  ceo  que  Offe  li  aveit  mande; 

La  parole  les  ad  mustree, 

De  chief  en  chief  cum  est  alee : 

Ke  li  reis  Offe,  son  cosin, 

Kant  il  murust  e  traist  a  fin, 
975  Par  ses  consiliers  plus  privez, 

Ki  mielz  furent  de  li  amez, 

Lad  de  son  fiz  Edmund  requis, 

Kil  seit  rei  en  son  pais, 

En  Estangle  u  il  maneit, 
980  E  dunt  il  sire  e  rei  esteit, 

"E  li  reis  Offe  a  li  dune 

Son  ceptre  de  or  e  sa  curune, 

Sa  vessele  dargent  e  de  or, 

E  son  aveir  e  son  tresor; 
985  E  si  ad  mis  tute  sa  gent 

Par  fiance  e  par  serement, 

Quil  of  els  le  amenerunt 

En  Est  Angle,  e  rei  le  ferunt; 

Uncore  i  ad  es  covenances, 
990  El  serement  e  es  fiances, 

Kil  ne  poent,  pur  nule  peine, 

Ci  sujurner  ke  une  quinzaine, 

Ni  sanz  mon  fiz  [la  mer]  passer, 

Ne  ultre  eel  terme  ci  ester. 
995  Ceste  aventure  me  ad  mandee 

Offe  par  sa  gent  plus  privee, 

Par  ses  lettres  e  par  son  brief, 

Ke  lire  ai  fet  de  chief  en  chief, 

E  par  ensegnes  del  anel, 
1000  Kil  mustra  al  enfant  bel, 

Kant  [li  reis]  de  li  sen  ala, 

De  cest.pais  u  sujurna 

MS.  11.  968,  vavasours;  969,  Cunseile;  974,  treit  al  fin;  981,  rei, 
doune;  990,  E  serement  e  en  nances;  992,  suiourner,  un;  993,  fiz 
passer  (6  syl.);  995,  mande;  1001,  Kant  de  li;  (6  syl.);  1002,  suiourna. 


86 


LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND 


Ore  mestuet  vif  conseil  aver, 

De  mon  fiz  fere  remaneir, 
1005  E  de  ces  messagers  salver 

Des  fiances  e  del  vuer. 

Segnurs,  Pur  Dieu,  or  enpensez, 

Ki  les  hunurs  de  mei  tenez, 

De  ceste  chose  traire  a  chief, 
1010  Me  donez  vif  conseil  e  bref." 

Des  ordenez  tut  li  plus  sage, 

Li  plus  senez  de  greniur  age; 

Ki  plus  ourent  01  e  veu, 

Unt  al  rei  dit  e  respondu : 
1015  "Sire  reis,  a  nus  entendez! 

Ke  vif  conseil  nus  demandez, 

Kant  sur  nus  est  le  conseil  mis, 

Nus  vus  dirrum  [tut]  nostre  avis ; 

Offert  vus  ad  mult  grant  amur, 
1020  Offe  li  reis,  e  grant  honur, 

Kant  Edmund  vostre  fiz  fet  heir 

De  son  realme  e  son  aveir, 

Dunt  sires  fu  quant  il  fu  vifs, 

E  en  cest  secle  poestifs. 
1025  Le  realme  haltement  dune 

A  vostre  fiz  e  labandune, 

Par  ses  conseiliers  plus  privez, 

Ki  plus  erent  de  li  amez 

E  ki  plus  sunt  poestis 
1030  En  le  realme  e  en  le  pais, 

E  ki  tut  unt  la  segnurie, 

E  les  fermetez  en  bailie; 

[E]  grant  lealte  les  fist  feire 

Kant  par  ci  feseient  lur  repaire. 
1035  Fei,  lealte  e  grant  amur 

Unt  [il]  porte  vers  lur  segnur. 

MS.  11.  1003,  conseile;  1006,  vouer;  1012,  greinur;  1013,  out;  1014, 
dist;  1015,  Sir;  1018,  dirrum — nostre  avis  (7  syl.);  io2i,heire;  1023, 
sire;  1025,  doune;  1026,  abandoune;  1033,  Grant  lealte  le  (7  syl.); 
1036,  Unt  porte  vers,  etc.,  (7  syl.). 


LA   VIE    SEINT    EDMUND  8^ 

Fetes,  reis,  ceo  que  vus  dirrum ; 

Ja  ne  vus  forconseilerum  : 

Treis  bones  nefs  comandez  quere, 
1040  Les  plus  riches  de  vostre  tere, 

Si  fetes  [i]  mettre  sanz  faile, 

Asez  guarison  e  vitaile, 

E  mult  seient  bien  ustilez, 

E  richement  aparailez; 
1045  Si  mettez  i  pur  les  nefs  duire, 

E  bien  e  salvament  conduire, 

Mariners  bons  e  queints  e  sages 

Ke  tuz  conusent  les  rivages, 

E  de  la  mer  seient  apris 
1050  Deske  en  Est  Angle  le  pais; 

Si  les  donez  mult  largement, 

Riches  dras  e  or  e  argent; 

Si  fetes  liverer  as  vassals 

Beles  armes  e  bons  chevals 
1055  E  vostre  fiz  les  comandez, 

E  lur  seremenz  en  pernez, 

Ke  lealment  li  servirunt, 

E  salvament  le  garderunt, 

En  bois,  en  plains,  e  enz  e  hors, 
1060  Cume  meimes  vostre  cors; 

E  vint  chivalers  eslisez 

Des  meliurs  e  des  plus  prisez 

De  la  mesnie  Offe  le  rei 

Ki  pur  ton  fiz  vienent  a  tei. 
1065  Kant  ces  vint  averez  esliz, 

Si  les  comandez  vostre  fiz, 

Liverez  les  lune  nef  des  treis, 

Es  altres  deus  seit  lur  herneis ; 

Si  sen  algent  bald  e  seur, 
1070  Dreit  en  Est  Angle  abeneur. 

Si  seit  vostre  fiz  rei  de  la, 

MS.  11.  1039,  niefs;  1041,  fetes-mettre  (7  syl.);  1045,^  mettezl  pur, 
niefs  (7  syl.);  1047,  bons  queintes;  1060,  Cum  memesj(6  syl.);  [1062, 
presez;    1067,  nief  de  ;    1068,  En  autres  deus  seient. 


88  LA   VIE   SEINT    EDMUND 

E  vus  rei  e  sire  de  cea. 

Vos  regnes  aiez  en  comune; 

Mielz  valent  deus  realmes  que  une. 
1075  Son  pere  estes,  il  vostre  fiz; 

Ne  poez  estre  departiz. 

Nuls  ne  vus  puet  fere  luinteins, 

Kant  tant  estes  parenz  procheins 

Mai  ait  son  cors  de  tut  endreit, 
1080  Ki  le  partir  de  vus  voldreit! 

Cil  est  departi,  a  tut  dis, 

Ki  pere  e  mere  e  ses  amiz 

Deguerpist,  e  sa  veie  tient, 

E  james  apres  [ne]  revient 
1085  Si  nest  il  mie,  rei,  de  vus; 

Assez  estes  procheins  andeus ; 

Kar  kant  vus  le  voldrez  veeir, 

E  son  contenement  saveir, 

Ne  vus  estuet  fors  passer  mer 
1090  E  a  leisir  of  li  parler; 

E  kant  vus  voldrez  revenir, 

Revenez  a  vostre  pleisir ; 

E  vostre  fiz  tut  ensement, 

Vus  puet  venir  veeir  sovent, 
1095  Sanz  grant  travail  e  sanz  ahan, 

Une  fez  u  deus  en  le  an. 

Issi  salverez  ceste  gent 

Des  fiances,  del  serement, 

Kil  feseient  a  vostre  cosin. 
1 100  Rei,  nus  sumes  a  vus  enclin, 

Si  sumes  tuz  vostre  feeil ; 

Ki  desdira  icest  conseil 

Ne  aime  pas  vus  ne  vostre  fiz." 

Tuz  se  greent,  granz  e  petiz, 
1 105  E  dient  tuz :  "Bien  est  a  feire : 

Ne  se  deit  pas  li  reis  retreire." 
Li  reis  dit  que  ceo  nert  ja; 

MS.  11.  1077,  Nul  ne  vus  put;    1084,  E  iames  apres  revient;    1089, 
tut;    1 107,  Le  rei. 


LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND  89 

Ja  de  li  ne  departira, 

Son  fiz  Edmund,  ni  tant  ni  kant, 
1 1 10  Kil  plus  aime  ke  rien  vivant. 

Tant  cum  li  clerc  e  li  lettre 

Li  plus  sage,  li  ordene, 

Li  riche  cunte  e  li  barun, 

Sunt  en  cele  grant  contenciun, 
1 1 15  Este  vus  en  la  sale  atant 

Une  dame  pruz  e  vailant ! 

Romaine  fu,  de  Rome  nee, 

Seinte  dame,  sage  e  senee ; 

Vedve  ert,  enpres  son  segnur, 
1 120  Si  fu  donee  al  creatur. 

Dieus  laveit  de  bien  replenie, 

Ke  meinte  bone  prophetie 

Diseit  la  dame,  qui  pus  furent 

Trovez  veires,  cum  estre  durent. 
1 125  La  dame  ert  mult  aqueinte  al  rei, 

E  a  la  gent  que  aveit  of  sei, 

En  la  cite  de  Rome  enceis; 

Kar  alez  i  esteit  li  reis; 

Enceis  que  Edmund  fu  engendrez, 
1 130  Son  fiz,  i  fu  li  reis  alez, 

En  oreisuns  hors  de  sa  tere 

Seint  Pere  de  Rome  requere. 

Kar  custume  esteit  a  eel  jur, 

Ke  rei,  e  due  e  emperur, 
1 135  Se  soleient  mettre  el  veiage 

De  Seint  Pere  en  pelerinage. 

Ne  teneient  plait  de  riche  home 

Ki  neiist  este  a  Rome. 

La  bone  dame  dunt  parlum, 
1 140  E  dunt  nus  parlance  feisum, 

Aveit  a  Rome  mult  servi 

Le  rei,  e  sa  gent  altresi, 

MS.  11.;    1126,  E  al  gent  (7  syl.);    1129,  engendre;    1130,  le  rei  ale 
1134,  emperour;    1135,  en  le  (9  syl.);    1136,  pelrinage  (7  syl.);    1137, 
tienent. 


90  LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND 

E  enveie  meint  bel  present, 

E  feit  meint  [grant]  honur  sovent, 
1 145  E  sovent  od  le  rei  parlout. 

Tant  cum  li  reis  i  sujurnout. 

Li  reis  aveit  la  dame  chere, 

E  mult  lama  de  grant  manere, 

Pur  son  sen  e  pur  son  saveir, 
1 1 50  E  pur  ceo  quele  diseit  si  veir 

De  ceo  que  li  reis  demandeit ; 

Sovent  esprovee  laveit. 

Pur  le  conseil  que  entrels  teneient 

E  la  privete  quil  aveient, 
1 155  En  erent  esbai  plusurs 

E  diseient  que  ceo  ert  amurs. 

Mes  ceo  desdiseit  lur  curage, 

Ke  la  dame  ert  de  grant  age. 

Al  departir  que  li  reis  dut 
1 160  E  quil  vers  son  pais  sesmut 

De  Rome,  u  out  fet  son  veiage, 

Pur  Dieu  [servir]  en  pelrinage, 

Si  vint  la  dame  al  desevrer, 

Al  departir,  of  le  rei  parler. 
1 165  Cume  la  dame  entrer  deveit 

En  la  chambre  u  li  reis  esteit, 

Avis  li  fut  que  une  flambe  grant, 

Cume  ceo  fut  de  feu  ardant 

Sen  issit  hors  del  piz  al  rei, 
1 1 70  Ki  tele  clarte  gettout  de  sei, 

Cume  ceo  fut  rais  de  soleil, 

Kant  matin  surt  en  Est  vermeil ; 

Avis  li  fut  quel  rais  sestendi, 

Ke  hors  del  piz  le  rei  issi, 
1 175  Parmi  les  nues  tut  defrunt 

Jesqual  soverein  ciel  amunt. 

MS.  11.  1 144,  feite  meint  honur;  1146,  reis  suiournout  (7  syl.); 
ii47,lerei;  1 1 5  2 ,  esprove ;  1154  priveete  (9  syl.);  1 162,  Pur  dieu— -en 
(6syl.);  1 164,  A  departir;  n65,cum;  1166,  le  rei;  ix  68,  cum;  1170 
tel  clarete;    11 71,  cum;  reis,  soleile;    11 72,  vermeile. 


LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND  91 

De  eel  rai,  katre  rais  isseient, 

Ki  en  quatre  parz  se  estendeient: 

Li  un  amunt  vers  orient, 
1 180  E  li  altre  vers  Occident, 

E  li  tierz  devers  medi, 

Li  quart  devers  north  se  estendi. 
Li  reis  les  vist,  si  se  esbai, 

E  la  dame  tut  altresi. 
1 185  Nest  merveile  si  se  esbairent, 

Kant  icele  merveile  virent. 

Meis  la  dame  f u  queinte  e  sage ; 

Si  fist  semblant  en  son  curage, 

Si  cum  ele  ne  le  vit  mie. 
1 190  Kant  la  clarte  fu  esvanie, 

Li  reis  od  la  dame  parla, 

Conge  ad  pris,  si  senala. 

Pur  ceste  aventure  demeine, 

Vint  la  bone  dame  Romaine, 
1 195  Al  rei  de  Sessoine,  en  Sessoine, 

Ki  entendeit  a  la  besoine, 

(U  sa  cure  ert  forte  e  greindre) 

De  Edmund  son  fiz  feire  remeindre. 
Kant  la  dame  fu  descendue, 
1200  E  en  la  curt  al  rei  veneue, 

En  la  presence  le  rei  sest  mise, 

E  tut  dreit  devant  li  assise, 

Issi  ke  unkes  ne  le  salua, 

Ni  de  rien  ne  lareisna, 
1205  Ni  bel  semblant  na  li  feseit, 

Cum  a  Rome  fere  soleit. 

Li  reis  la  garde,  e  la  conut, 

Si  se  merveile  cum  il  dut, 

Purquei  la  dame  i  fu  venue 
12 10  E  ke  ceo  deit  que  ele  nel  salue, 

MS.  11.  1178  (7  syl.);  1179,  Le  un;  1180,  le  autre;  1 181,  le  tierce; 
1182,  Le  quart;  n83,Lerey;  1185,  esbaierent;  1186,  icel;  n89,nel; 
1 196,  bosoyne;  1197,  Ou  sa  cure  enfortir  e  greindre;  1200,  curte; 
1203,  la  salua;   1204,  la  reisna;   1205,  ne;   1207,  la  agarde. 


92  LA   VIE    SEINT    EDMUND 

E  pur  quei  e  ke  ceo  deveit, 

Ke  si  murne  chere  feseit 

Li  reis  leve,  si  lapella, 

Mult  la  cheri  e  honura. 
121 5  Si  lad  de  iuste  li  asise, 

E  mult  dulcement  lad  requise 

Kele  li  die  maintenant, 

Pur  quei  feseit  murne  semblant, 

E  de  li  se  trea  ariere. 
1220  "Sachez,"  fet  il,  "ma  dame  chere, 

Ke  jeo  nai  [nul]  si  cher  aveir, 

Si  vus  le  voldriez  aveir, 

Ke  na  vus  seit  abandone 

Trestut  a  vostre  volente." 
1225  "Reis,"  fet  ele,  "ceo  sai  jeo  bien; 

Meis  de  tut  ceo  ni  ad  rien. 

Jeo  ne  vine  pas  en  ceste  tere, 

Pur  tresor  ne  pur  aveir  quere. 

Assez  en  ai,  la  Dieu  merci ! 
1230  Meis,  reis,  jeo  su  venue  ci, 

Numeement  pur  vus  veeir, 

E  de  vostre  ovre  alques  saveir ; 

Kar  altre  chose,  sire  rei, 

Quidai  en  vus  ke  jeo  ne  vei 
1235  E  vus  sai  bien  dire  coment : 

A  Rome  fustes  veirement, 

En  oresuns  pur  Dieu  servir, 

E  vos  pechiez  espeneir. 

Jeo  parlai  a  vus  mult  sovent 
1240  E  [vus]  conseilai  bonement, 

De  Dieu  amer,  de  Dieu  servir, 

E  sur  tute  rien  obeir. 

Kant  aler  vus  endeverez, 

Enceis  que  vus  en  alisez, 
1245  I  ymc  Jeo>  reis>  a  vostre  aler, 

MS.  11.  1213,  Le  rey,  le  apella;  1216,  doucement;'  1221,  nay  —  si 
cher(7syl.);  1227,  vinch;  1230,  rey;  1231,  Numement,  veir  (6  syl.); 
1233,  sir;  1240,  E  —  conseilai  (7  syl.);    1242,  tut;    1245,  vinch. 


LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND  93 

Priveement  a  vus  parler. 

Si  cume  jeo  en  la  chambre  entrai, 

Me  fut  avis  que  vei  un  rai 

De  grant  clarte,  cler  e  vermeil, 
1250  Cume  ceo  fu  rai  de  soleil, 

Hors  de  vostre  piz,  reis,  salir, 

Amunt  al  ciel  par  grant  hair. 

De  eel  rai  quatre  rais  eissirent, 

Ki  en  quatre  parz  sespandirent 
1255  A  merveile  men  esbai, 

Kant  jeo  cele  merveile  vi ; 

E  vus,  Sire  reis  de  Sessoine, 

En  ustes  pur  mei  vergoine; 

Meis  jeo  ne  fis  unke  semblant, 
1260  Ke  jeo  le  vis  [ne]  tant  ne  kant, 

Mult  le  ai  cele,  reis,  longement, 

Kar  jeo  quidoue  veirement, 

E  si  laveie  espermente, 

Ke  Dieus  qui  est  vereie  clarte, 
1265  Vereie  lumere,  verei  soleil, 

Par  sa  grace  e  par  son  conseil, 

Vus  muntast  en  mult  grant  haltesce, 

En  grant  pussance  e  en  richesce, 

E  ke  Dieus  vus  donast  tel  heir, 
1270  Ki  par  son  sen  e  son  saveir, 

Muntast  en  si  grant  poeste, 

Ke  [en]  tut  le  mund  en  fut  parle; 

E  ki  Cristiente  amast, 

E  maintenist  e  enhalceast, 
1275  U  ke  Dieus  vus  donast  le  dun 

De  aler  en  estrange  regiun, 

Dunt  vostre  honur  fut  mielz  acruz, 

E  vostre  nun  fust  plus  cremuz. 

MS.  11.  1246,  privement  (7  syl.);  1248,  que  jeo  vei  (9  syl.);  1249, 
vermeile;  1250,  cum,  rey  de  soleile;  1251,  saliir;  1257,  rei;  1258, 
verguyne;  1259,  ni;  1260,  vis  tant;  1261,  rey  longment  (7  syl.);  1263, 
la  veie  espermentee;  1264,  verei;  1265,  verei,  solaile;  1266,  consaile; 
1272,  Ke  tut,  mound;    1275  doun;    1276,  regioun;  1277,  Dount;    1278, 


94  LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND 

Le  miracle  ke  nus  ve'imes, 
1280  Reis,  kant  a  Rome  departimes, 

Si  est  [de]  mult  grant  signifiance, 

De  haltesce  e  de  grant  pussance, 

U  de  glorie  celestiene, 

U  de  grant  honur  teriene 
1285  Ke  devereit  avenir  pur  veir. 

U  a  vus,  reis,  u  a  vostre  heir; 

Vus  ne  savez  [ceo]  ke  ceo  iert. 

Meis  ore  vei  bien  [e]  apert 

Ke  vus  estes  vers  Dieu  enfrez, 
1290  E  de  mult  grant  chose  for  fez, 

Kil  si  vus  ad  cuilli  en  he, 

Kant  vus  ad  si  del  tut  oste 

Del  riche  tresor  e  del  dun 

De  ceste  grant  demustreisun." 
1295  Li  reis  a  la  Romaine  en  tent, 

E  suspire  parf undement ; 

Devant  tute  sa  gent  gehi. 

Laventure  e  la  descoveri ; 

Cume  la  dame  laveit  dite, 
1300  Tut  isi  lout  li  reis  escrite ; 

A  un  evesque  baila  lescrit, 

E  cil  de  chief  en  chief  le  lit ; 

En  ordre  dist  cum  veu  aveit 

La  dame  ke  venue  esteit. 
1305  Un  evesque  pruz  e  sene, 

Sage  clerc  e  bien  lettre, 

Dit,  oyanz  clers  e  oyanz  lais : 

"Sire  reis,"  fet  il,  "icest  rais" 

Ke  issit  hors  de  vostre  piz, 
13 10  Ceo  est  vereiement  vostre  fiz, 

Edmund,  qui  reis  ert  del  regne, 

Ke  reis  Offe  li  ad  done. 

A  li  sera  Estangle  enclin, 

MS.  11.  1281,  est — mult  (7  syl.);  1287,  savez — que  (7  syl.);  1288, 
bien  i  pert  (7  syl.);  1299,  Cum,  dit  (7  syl.);  1300,  escrit;  1308,  Sir; 
1310,  vereyment  (7  syl.);    131 1,  regnee;    1312,  donee. 


LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND  95 

E  kant  il  trerra  a  sa  fin, 
13 1 5  La  companie  Seint  Michel 

Porterunt  salme  en  [le]  ciel, 

Od  grant  lumere  od  grant  clarte, 

Devant  Dieu  en  sa  majeste. 

E  les  rais  ke  de  li  surderent 
1320  E  par  la  tere  se  estenderent, 

Ceo  ert  la  bone  renomee, 

Ke  de  li  ert  par  tut  cuntee. 

Reis  ne  le  devez  pas  cuntredire; 

Kant  Dieus,  li  treseintime  sire, 
1325  Si  aperte  signifiance 

Vus  mustra,  devant  la  nessance 

De  vostre  fiz  ke  avez  tant  cher, 

Mult  le  devez  bien  otrier 

Kil  alge  en  Estangle,  el  pais, 
1330  Si  [en]  seit  reis  e  poestis. 

Li  reis  forment  sescrie  en  plurs, 

Si  les  ad  dit :  "Beals  chers  segnurs, 

Kant  Dieu  le  volt,  feire  lestuet ; 

Kar  altrement  estre  ne  puet. 
1335  Li  reis  comanda  les  nefs  quere, 

Les  meliurs  de  tute  sa  tere ; 

Si  fist  [i]  mettre  a  grant  fusun, 

Vitaile  e  asez  guarisun, 

E  vin  de  clare  e  piment, 
1340  E  vessele  de  or  e  de  argent. 

Si  i  fist  mettre  marinals, 

Mult  forz  e  pruz  e  bons  vassals, 

Queinz  dewe  e  [si]  sages  en  mer, 

E  ki  bien  sevent  nefs  guier. 
1345  E  pus  eslust  vint  chivalers 

Li  reis,  de  eels  quil  out  plus  chers, 

E  vint  chivalers  ensement 

MS.  11.  13 16,  en  ciel  (7  syl.);  13 19,  surderunt  (9  syl.);  1320,  se 
estenderimt  (9  syl.);  1322,  cunte;  1323,  Rey;  1324,  treiseintim , 
1330,  Si  seit  (7  syl.);  133 1,  sescrient  (9  syl.);  1335,  nefes;  1337,  Si  fist 
mettre  (7  syl.);  1342,  fortes;  1343,  Queintes,  e  sages  7  (syl.);  1344, 
nefes. 


g6  LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND 

De  la  mesnee  e  de  la  gent 

Offe  le  rei,  ki  les  tramist, 
1350  E  ki  les  seremenz  en  prist, 

Tant  cum  il  furent,  ceo  mest  avis, 

Karante  chivalers  de  pris. 

Li  reis  les  dona  bels  conreis, 

Armes,  destrers  e  palefreiz, 
1355  E  or  e  argent  a  plente, 

E  son  fiz  les  ad  comande, 

E  la  plus  bele  nef  des  treis; 

En  deus  fit  mettre  lur  herneis. 

Kant  il  derrer  sunt  apreste 
1360  Hors  del  haven  se  sunt  bute. 

Li  reis  ne  fine  de  plurer, 

Kant  il  les  vit  en  mer  entrer. 

A  Dieu  les  comand,  si  les  lest, 

E  en  plurant  ariere  vest. 
1365  Kant  les  treis  nefs  sunt  hors  de  port, 

Lur  batel  devers  le  bort 

Treistrent  en  la  nef  maintenant 

Li  marinal  e  li  servant. 

La  nef  fu  forte  e  [si]  mult  bele, 
1370  Bien  fete,  seure  e  novele, 

U  Seint  Edmund  esteit,  li  ber, 

Ki  unke  mes  ne  fu  en  mer. 

Li  servant  e  li  mariner 

En  vunt  lur  cordes  adrescier. 
*375  Chescun  mariner  del  esneke 

Forment  le  sigle  desharneske,  ( 1 ) 

Lur  hobens  estreignent  vers  destre, 

Hors  lancent  [lur]  lof  (2)  vers  senestre, 

La  veile  treient  jesqua  la  hune, 

MS.  11.  1350,  Ke;  1352,  Karant:  1357,  nief;  de  treis;  1363,  comande; 
1365,  neifes;  1369,6  mult  bele  (7  syl.);  1376,  deshaneke;  1377,  es- 
Ueinent;   1378,  lancent — lof  (7  syl.);    1379,  iesqual  (7  syl.). 

Note  (1),  line  1376,  desharneske  from  dis  and  harneschier  *=■  to  arm, 
to  equip,  referring  both  to  soldiers  and  to  ships  (Cf.  Godefroy).  Here 
the  meaning  seems  to  be:  to  unroll,  to  unfurl. 

Note  (2),  line  1378,  lof  =  lower  part  of  the  sail  (Cf.  Godefroy). 


LA    VIE    SEINT   EDMUND  97 

1380  E  al  vent  la  firent  comune. 

La  boeline  halent  al  vent, 

Ki  lore  recoilt  e  supprent. 

Kant  la  nef  aveient  aprestee, 

A  Dampnedieu  lunt  comandee. 
1385  Pus  atturnerent  el  batel 

Li  chamberleng  al  damisel 

Un  riche  lit,  de  noble  atur, 

U  il  alient  lur  segnur. 

Les  chivalers,  ki  en  la  nef  sunt, 
1390  Ki  garden t  lur  segnur  Edmund 

En  le  batel  sunt  entre  of  li ; 

Si  parolent  pur  lennui. 

As  esches  geuwent  e  as  tables, 

Dient  respiz  e  cuntent  fables. 
1395  Meis  ki  kentende  al  enveiser, 

Li  ber  entent  a  son  Salter, 

Ke  en  Sessoine  aveit  comence, 

Dunt  apris  aveit  la  meite. 

Le  jur  siglent  a  grant  dedut, 
1400  Si  feseient  tute  la  nut, 

Lez  la  costee  de  Sessoine, 

Ke  la  nef  gueres  ne  sesbaine. 

Jesqual  demain  al  einz  jurnee, 

Ke  lalbe  del  jur  fu  escrevee, 
1405  Suple  vent  unt,  mer  pleine  e  bele, 

La  nef  ne  crole  ne  chancele. 

As  marinals  en  peise  fort 

Kil  nunt  vent  ki  plus  tost  les  port. 

Le  secund  jur  unt  tant  sigle, 
14 10  E  la  nut  a  ciel  estele, 

Kal  tierz  jur  unt  Frise  veue, 

De  loinz,  cum  ceo  fut  une  nue. 

Jesqual  quart  jur,  dun  vent  de  bise 

MS.  11.  1381,  Le  boelin;  1383,  nief,  apreste;  1384,  comande;  1387, 
atour;  1388,  segnour;  1393,  eschesse  geuwent  e  a  tables;  1399,  iour; 
1402,  nief,  guaires;  140 1-2,  Sessoine  rhymes  with  esbainel  1406,  La 
nief;    1410,  la  nute,  eel;    1412,  neue. 


9&  LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND 

Siglent  la  costere  de  Frise, 
141 5  Tant  quil  acosteient  Houtlande, 

Une  contree  large  e  grande. 

Le  quart  jur,  de  Houtlande  veient 

Les  granz  faleises  ki  blancheient. 

Le  sisme  jur  une  contree 
1420  Acostent,  qui  est  large  e  lee; 

Selande  la  apelent,  la  gent; 

Al  honur  de  Flandres  apent. 

Dune  lur  surt  un  vent  devers  tere, 

Si  les  feseit  damage  e  guere, 
1425  Kar  tant  furent  loinz  en  la  mer, 

Kil  ne  pourent  a  port  aler. 

La  mesnie  en  est  malbailie, 

Kar  dulce  ewe  lur  ert  failie 

Mult  en  sufrirent  grant  hachie 
1430  Les  esquiers  e  la  mesnie 

Des  deus  nefs  ke  vindrent  deriere, 

Ki  ensewirent  le  premiere. 
Li  enfant  01  la  novele, 

Edmund,  sachez  ne  li  fu  bele. 
1435  Sur  ses  piez  en  estant  sest  mis, 

Vers  orient  turna  son  vis. 

Dieu  reclama  devotement, 

Kil  ait  pitie  de  sa  gent. 

A  genuilluns  sest  acute, 
1440  E  Dampnedieu  ad  reclame, 

Kil  tele  ore  lur  tramette, 

Ki  a  salve  porte  les  mette. 
Oiz  la  primere  vertu, 

Ke  Dampnedieu  fit  pur  son  dru, 
1445  Seint  Edmund,  sicum  il  oura, 

E  de  fin  quer  Dieu  reclama ! 

II  ne  aveit  mie  par  oure, 

Kil  nunt  vent  a  [lur]  volente. 
MS.    11.    1415,  acostent  (7  syl.);    1417,   veienent;    1420,   acostient; 
1426,  porent;    1427,  mesnee;    1430,  mesnee;  1431,  niefes;    1433.  Len- 
fant(7syl.);    1435,  peiz;    1437,  devoutement;   1441,  tel  (7  syl.);   1448, 
a  volente  (7  syl.). 


LA   VIE    SEINT    EDMUND  99 

Un  vent  surst  devers  [le]  midi, 
1450  Bien  aspre,  ki  les  acuilli, 

Ki  en  la  veile  e  en  lur  tref 

Fiert,  si  enpeint  avant  la  nef . 

Les  mariners  en  sunt  mult  lie; 

Lur  lof  unt  enz  mult  tost  lancie, 
1455  E  [tost]  alaschent  lur  boelins 

E  estreiment  lur  holgurdins. 

Aspre  est  le  vent,  li  sigle  legier, 

Unc  ne  les  covint  harnesker ; 

Bon  vent  aveient  e  bien  portant ; 
1460  Tut  le  jur  siglent  a  talant, 

E  tute  la  nut  a  serin ; 

Desque  il  ajurna  lendemain, 

Se  tindrent  a  la  halte  mer. 

Le  soleil  lieve,  e  halt  e  cler, 
1465  Bels  est  li  jurs,  le  tens  seriz, 

Le  vent  de  Su  lur  est  failliz, 

Kil  ne  pourent  aler  avant, 

Ainz  vunt  en  halte  mer  wacrant. 

E  kant  vint  entre  tierce  e  prime, 
1470  Ke  le  soleil  abate  la  rime, 

Dune  lur  surst  devers  orient, 

Une  dulce  ore,  un  suple  vent, 

U  il  se  sunt  longes  tenu, 

Tant  quil  unt  choisi  e  veii, 
1475  E  virent  clerement  lensegne 

Des  granz  faleises,  devers  Lyn 

Cele  part  siglent  a  espleit, 

Tant  cum  la  nef  aler  poeit ; 

Tant  unt  sigle,  tant  unt  vage 
1480  Ke  a  la  tere  sunt  aprochie. 

MS.  11.  1449,  devers  miedi  (7  syl.);  1452,  en  peint  —  nief;  1455,  E 
alaschent  (7  syl.);  1457,  sigleigier  (reading  unintelligible);  1458,  han- 
eker;  1460,  iour;  1461,  nute;  1462,  aiourna;  1465,  le  iour;  1467,  por- 
ent;  1468,  halt;  i469,tirce;  1472,  un  (7  syl.);  1475,  la  sen  (reading 
unintelligible;  correct  as  above,  or  for  sen,  read  sein,  seing;  (cf. 
Godefroy);  1476  len;    1477,  parte;    1478,  nief. 


IOO  LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND 

Pus  ont  hors  lance  lur  batel, 

A  tere  mistrent  le  dancel, 

Edmund,  lur  naturel  segnur, 

Par  la  grace  del  creatur. 
1485  Ke  Dieu  claime  en  la  prophetie, 

Sicum  nus  mustre  la  clergie : 

"Oisel  volant  del  orient, 

E  de  luin  home,  a  son  talant." 

Les  nefs  tutes  treis  arivees 
1490  Sunt,  [e]  a  la  tere  enancrees, 

A  mesmes  dune  petite  terele, 

A  merveile  aate  e  bele, 

Ki  a  eel  temps  esteit  clamee, 

E  ki  uncore  est  apellee : 
1495  Maidenesboure  en  engleis, 

Chambre  as  puceles  en  franceis. 

E  la  vile  de  li  ad  nun, 

En  engleis,  Hunestanestun, 

E  en  franceis  est  apelee, 
1500  La  vile  de  piere  melee: 

Quant  Seint  Edmund  fu  venuz 

A  tere,  e  hors  la  nef  eissuz, 

En  une  planesce  acceptable, 

E  bele  e  verte  e  delitable, 
1505  De  lez  la  mer,  en  oreisuns 

Chai  li  ber  a  genulliuns, 

E  pria  Dieu  pitusement, 

Pur  le  pais  e  pur  la  gent. 

La  mustra  Dieus  quil  aveit  chere, 
1 5 10  E  sa  oreisun  a  sa  priere; 

Kar  la  vertu  de  sa  oreisun 

Mustre  le  pais  envirun, 

Ka  Hunestanestun  apent. 

Ceo  sevent  bien  tute  la  gent, 

MS.  11.  1489,  nefes;  1490,  Sunt  a  la  (7  syl.);  1491,  terel;  1492, 
bel;  1493,  ce^e»  clame;  1494,  apelle;  1496,  E  chambre  as  pucels 
(9  syl.);  i497»  noun;  1498,  hunstanestun ;  1502,  del  nief;  1505,  le; 
1506,  chcy;  1507,  preia;  1509,  dieu;  1513,  hunstanestun  (7  syl.); 
2514,  seivent,  tut. 


LA   VIE    SEINT    EDMUND  IOI 

15 1 5  Ke  la  tere  est  plus  gaainable, 

E  de  tuz  biens  plus  fusunable 

En  Est,  e  gette  meldres  blez, 

Ke  nule  altre  tere  de  lez. 

Kant  Seint  Edmund  out  oure, 
1 520  E  Dampnedieu  out  reclame, 

Ses  homes  li  amenent  devant 

Un  palefrei  suef  amblant. 

Sicum  li  ber  munter  deveit, 

Vers  Occident   [re]  garde  e  veit, 
1525  Veit  hors  de  la  tere  saillir 

Dulces  funteines  par  ai"r, 

Od  dulz  curs,  od  clere  gravele 

Nul  ne  puet  choisir  la  plus  bele. 

Cuntrecurent  vers  la  mer, 
1530  Semblant  funt  de  li  welcomer. 

Del  liu  dunt  les  russels  sunt  surs, 

Jesquen  la  salse,  funt  lur  curs 

E  isenelement  se  destendent, 

Od  duz  murmure  en  mer  descendent. 
1535  Mult  par  sunt  bones  les  funteines; 

Pur  beivre  nad  suz  ciel  si  seines, 

E  meint  hum  jesqua  [i]cest  jur 

En  garist  de  meint  [grant]  dolur; 

De  meinte  grant  enfermete, 
1540  En  unt  plusurs  eii  sante. 

E  kant  li  ber  fu  curune, 

E  il  fu  fet  rei  del  regne, 

Le  liu  out  chier,  si  lama  tant 

Kil  [i]  fist  feire  maintenant 
1545  Une  sale  riche  e  reale, 

Grant  e  noble  e  emperiale, 

E  une  mult  riche  chapele, 

MS.  11.  1515,  gaynable;  1518,  leez.  1522,  sueif;  1524,  garde;  1525,  E 
veit  (9,syl.);  1527,  dulces;  1528,  poeit;  1534.  murmuire;  1537, home; 
iesqua  cest  iour;  1538,  meint  dolur  (7  syl.);  1539,  meint  (7  syl.); 
1540,  en  sante;  1542, reys;  1544,  Kil  fist  (7  syl.);  1545.  real;  1546, 
emperial. 


102  LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND 

Halte  e  avenante  e  bele, 

U  li  seint  reis  soleit  aourer 
1550  Kant  il  soleit  [i]  sujurner. 

E  pus  apres  quant  il  reis  fu, 

E  le  realme  aveit  resceu, 

Le  liu  ama,  si  out  mult  cher, 

Sovent  i  soleit  repairer, 
1555  Mult  i  soleit  venir  sovent 

E  sujurner  priveement. 

Les  baruns  ki  od  lenfant  esteient, 

E  ki  en  lur  garde  [1]  aveient, 

Le  amenerent  tut  sagement, 
1560  Sanz  noise  e  sanz  seii  de  gent, 

A  une  cite  noble  e  grant 

Ke  en  eel  tens  ert  riche  e  vailant 

E  de  mult  noble  renomee : 

Atleburg  esteit  apelee 
1565  La  cite;  Atle  lapela — 

Atle  li  reis  ki  la  funda. 

Uncore  i  ad  vile  champestre ; 

A  eels  de  Mortimer  suelt  estre. 

En  cele  cite  mist  enfin 
1570  Edmund  tut  un  an  enterin; 

E  son  Salter  il  paraprist 

Par  la  grace  de  Jesu  Crist, 

Ken  Sessoine  aveit  comence 

Dunt  apris  aveit  la  meite, 
1575  E  altre  sen  aprist  apres, 

Dunt  sage  fu  a  tut  dis  mes. 

Ceo  le  fist  Dieus  par  sa  puissance, 

E  par  sa  dulce  purveance. 

E  kant  le  regne  out  en  sa  main, 
1580  Al  governer  fu  plus  certain. 

Ceo  est  grant  sen  e  courteisie, 

Kant  prince  e  reis  entent  clergie ; 

Al  regne  governer  li  valt, 

MS.  11.   1550,  soleit  suiourner  (7  syl.);    1551,  rey;    1558,  aveient; 
1568,  soleit  (9  syl.);    1569,  miest.  1574,  apris. 


LA   VIE    SEINT    EDMUND 


I03 


Kar  quant  le  sen  des  altres  fait, 
1585  Par  la  clergie  quest  ajuwe, 

[Si]  ad  tost  sen  e  reisun  suwe. 

Kant  les  altres  ni  veient  gute, 

La  clergie  le  sen  i  bute. 

Edmund,  cume  jeo  ai  desus  dit, 
1590  Sujurne  en  Atleburg  la  cit; 

Pur  ceo  le  feseient  sujurner 

En  Atleburg,  e  demurer, 

Cels  qui  el  pais  mene  lourent : 

Kar  il  soucherent  bien  e  sourent, 
1595  Ke  li  barun  plus  poestis. 

E  li  plus  riche  del  pais, 

Kant  il  de  la  mort  Offe  oireient, 

Pur  le  realme  mesuvereient ; 

Si  feseient  tut  li  barun 
1600  E  furent  en  grant  contenciun. 

Chescun  dels  voleit  endreit  sei 

De  la  tere  estre  sire  e  rei 

Lestreif  dura  un  an  enter, 

Pur  poi  ne  surst  grant  encumbrier 
1605  Kar  les  teres  ultre  marines 

Ka  eel  pais  erent  veisines, 

Ke  hum  claime  collaterals, 

Les  promistrent  gueres  e  mals : 

Kil  les  vendreient  assaillir 
1 610  Sil  ne  volsissent  obeir 

A  els,  e  rendre  les  treii. 

Kant  la  tere  e  le  pais  feu 

Si  longement  sanz  chief  segnur, 

Le  poeple  en  est  en  grant  errur, 
161 5  En  grant  crierhe  e  en  grant  turment, 

E  dutent  que  foreine  gent 

Vienge  sur  els,  si  les  asaile, 

Si  envers  els  pernent  bataile, 

MS.  11.  1585,  aguwe;  1586,  Ad  tost  (7  syl.);  1590,  cizt;  1593,  en; 
1593-4,  lorent:  sorent;  1597,  morte;  1607,  home;  161 3,  longment 
(7  syl.);    1615,  crieme    en  (7  syl.);   1616,  doutent;    1617,  viengent. 


104  LA   VIE   SEINT   EDMUND 

Sanz  chevetaine  e  sanz  segnur, 
1620  Ki  les  maintienge  en  estur; 

Kant  il  nunt  ki  les  maintienge, 

Si  crement  ke  les  mesavienge. 

Cunseil  unt  demande  e  quis 

De  tuz  les  sages  del  pais. 
1625  A  Castre  funt  lur  asemblee 

Ke  dune  ert  de  grant  renomee 

Tuz  les  plus  sages  del  regne, 

E  li  evesque  e  li  abe, 

Li  sage  cunte  e  li  barun 
1630  Furent  a  cele  elecciun. 

Entrels  cunseil  unt  demande, 

De  ki  rei  ferunt  del  regne. 
Li  seneschal  lieve  en  estant, 

Ki  mult  sages  ert  e  valiant, 
1635  Ki  a  la  mort  fu  Offe  le  rei, 

E  ki  Edmund  mena  od  sei 

"Segnurs,"  fet  il,  "ore  escutez, 

Ke  mestier  de  cunseil  avez, 

A  rei  eslire  e  [a]  segnur, 
1640  Ki  le  pais  guart  a  honur, 

E  al  poeple  seit  acceptable, 

E  sage  duitre  e  covenable. 

Acheisun  ni  reisun  ne  vei, 

Ke  meis  puissez  estre  sanz  rei; 
1645  E  kant  rei  vus  estuet  aver, 

Errer  vus  estuet  par  saver, 

De  tel  eslire,  de  tel  choisir, 

Ke  en  pes  vus  puise  maintenir, 

E  dreit  e  justise  garder 
1650  E  la  tere  en  pes  governer. 

Mult  vus  fu  li  reis  Offe  amis, 

E  vus  ama  tant  cum  fu  vifs, 

MS.  11.  1619,  cheveteyn;  1620,  162 1,  maintinge;  1625,  asemble; 
1627,  regnee;  1636,  a  mene  (9  syl.);  1638,  conseil  en  (9  syl.);  1639, 
c  segnour  (7  syl.);  1640,  honur;  1648,  Ki  (9  syl.);  1649,  Justice; 
1653,  e  bon  (9  syl.). 


LA   VIE    SEINT    EDMUND  105 

Sage  rei  fu,  bon  justiser, 

E  seintment  murust  ultre  mer. 
J655  Jeo  fu  of  li  quant  il  murust; 

Mult  me  peisa  ke  morir  dust ; 

Devant  ceo  ke  la  mort  li  prist, 

Par  fei  e  par  serment  me  mist, 

E  mei  e  tute  sa  altre  gent 
1660  Mist  par  fei  e  par  serement, 

Ke  quant  nus  en  returnerum, 

Par  Sessoine  nus  realisum, 

U  li  reis  e  nus  sujurnames 

Kant  a  Jerusalem  alames 
1665  Od  le  rei,  son  cosin  germein, 

Qui  tute  Sessoine  ad  suz  sa  main, 

E  ke  nus  menisum  defrunt 

Le  fiz  le  rei,  lenfant  Edmund, 

Quen  Estangle  en  feisum  rei. 
1670  Ceo  nus  fist  il  plever  par  fei. 

Offe  seisi  le  damisel 

En  cest  realme,  par  son  anel, 

Dunt  il  fu  fet  rei  e  sacre, 

Kant  il  fu  primes  corune. 
1675  E  nus,  segnurs,  par  la  venimes ; 

Tant  parlames,  e  tant  fe'ismes, 

Ke  kant  nus  de  iluc  en  alames, 

En  ceste  tere  lenfant  menames. 

[E]  purquei  le  vus  celerum? 
1680  A  grant  peine  conquis  le  avum. 

Kant  li  reis  Offe  ad  le  regne 

A  Edmund  son  cosin  devise, 

Par  nus  qui  la  fei  enplevimes. 

E  le  serement  en  fe'ismes — 
1685  Ki  dirra  le  dreit  e  le  veir? — 

Bien  il  deit  estre  e  rei  e  heir ; 

E  pur  ceo  e  pur  altre  rien, 

MS.  11.  i657,morte;  1658,  serement;  1661,  nus  returnerum  (7  syl.); 
1674,  primier;  1677,  iluc  alames  (7  syl.);  1679,  Purquei  (7  syl.); 
1 68 1,  le  rei;   regnee;  1683,  le  fiz;    1684,  fesimes. 


106  LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND 

Dunt  jeo  vtis  musterai  tres  bien, 

Le  devez  choisir  e  eslire, 
1690  Kil  seit  de  vus  e  rei  e  sire. 

Edmund  est  mult  de  halt  parage, 

E  ne  est  de  real  liniage, 

E  la  bealte  de  li  est  si  grant, 

Ke  en  mund  ni  ad  si  bel  enfant. 
1695  E  od  la  grant  bealte  de  li, 

Unkes  puis  ke  jeo  ne  fui, 

Ne  vi  plus  sage  creature, 

De  sen,  de  reisun,  de  mesure, 

Ni  qui  plus  tost  seiist  juger 
1700  Une  reisun,  ne  desreisnier. 

Segnurs,  mult  est  lenfant  Edmund 

De  acu  sen  e  de  parfunt, 

E  kant  il  est  cosin  le  rei 

Offe,  ki  si  nus  mist  par  fei, 
1705  Kil  seit  reis  de  cest  pais, 

Jeo  vus  dis  bien  le  mien  avis : 

Qui  ceste  chose  volt  desdire, 

Quil  ne  seit  e  rei  e  sire 

De  cest  pais,  de  cest  regne? 
1 7 10  Segnurs,  sachez  en  verite, 

Ke  nus  enfin  destrut  serrum 

E  le  realme  perderum, 

Kar  si  son  pere  en  Sessoine, 

Ki  rei  est,  oit  la  grant  vergoine 
17 1 5  Que  vus  lavez  si  refuse, 

Bien  le  di,  par  ma  lealte, 

Of  mult  grant  gent  sur  nus  vendra, 

E  la  tere  e  nus  destruera." 
Kant  il  aveit  dit  e  parle 
1720  E  [si]  tut  son  avis  mustre, 

Levesque  de  Norwiz  parla, 

E  tut  le  poeple  lescuta : 

"Segnurs,"  fet  il,  "ore  escutez ; 

MS.  11.  1691,  mlt,  1694,  nad  (7  syl.);  1701,  mlt;  1702,  acue;  1709, 
regnee;  1720,  E  tut  (7  syl.). 


LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND  107 

Si  jeo  di  bien,  sil  graantez. 
1725  Mult  ad  oure  li  Seneschal 

Cume  sage  home  e  cum  leal, 

Cume  prudome,  cum  sene, 

Quant  nus  a  le  dreit  heir  mene, 

De  ceste,  nostre  regiun, 
1730  Dunt  estes  en  contenciun. 

Ni  entent  ni  sai  plus  dreit  heir, 

Qui  mielz  deive  le  regne  aveir, 

Ke  Edmund  lenfant,  que  cist  message 

Unt  amene  pur  le  heritage ; 
x735  Fiz  de  rei  est,  de  halte  gent, 

Cosin  Offe  e  prochein  parent 

Le  rei,  qui  devant  quil  fini, 

De  cest  realme  le  seisi. 

Par  son  anel  que  a  li  tramist, 
1730  Dunt  estes  en  contenciun. 

E  od  tut  ceo,  mist  ceste  gent, 

E  par  fei  e  par  serement, 

Ki  en  cest  pais  le  amenerent, 

E  qui  le  message  aporterent. 
1 745  Mult  les  devum  saver  bon  gre, 

Quant  vus  unt  le  dreit  heir  mene. 

Jeo  vus  lo  que  tuz  i  alez, 

E  mult  tost  a  rei  le  levez." 

Tuz  se  greent,  grant  e  petit, 
1750  Mult  par  ad  levesque  bien  dit. 

Dune  se  levent  tute  la  gent, 

Riche,  povre,  comunalment, 

A  une  voix,  e  a  un  cri, 

En  un  voler  sunt  [tuz]  parmi, 
1755  En  une  mesme  volente, 

Cume  Dieu  les  out  espire. 

A  Atleburg  en  vunt,  tut  dreit, 

U  li  enfant  Edmund  esteit ; 

MS.  11.  i724,grantez  (7  syl.);  1726-7,  cum;  1728,  Quant  a  nus  (9  syl.); 
1730,  Dunt  vus  estes  (9  syl.);  i73i,ne — nesey(7  syl.);  1735, halt  (7syl.); 
i753,voyce;  1754,  sunt  parmi  (7  syl.) ;  1756,  cum;  1758,  lenfant  (7  syl). 


108  LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND 

Si  lunt  a  Bures,  la  cite, 
1760  Mult  honurablement  mene. 

Hue  le  feseient  coruner, 

E  haltement  a  rei  sacrer, 

Del  evesque,  qui  Hubert  out  nun, 

Qui  par  mult  grant  devooiun 
1765  Fist  le  servise  e  la  feste, 

Mult  haltement,  ceo  dist  la  geste. 

Bures  esteit  [une]  cite, 

En  icel  tens  de  antiquite, 

De  grant  honur,  de  grant  noblesce, 
1770  E  tute  de  mult  grant  haltesce; 

Kar  la  soleit  hum  coruner 

Les  reis,  e  enoindre  e  sacrer, 

Qui  de  Estangle  furent  eslit. 

Tele  dignete  aveit  la  cit 
1775  De  Bures,  que  encore  est  assise 

Mult  bien,  e  de  mult  bele  guise, 

Desur  une  ewe  redde  e  pure, 

Que  la  gent  apelent  le  Sture; 

Marche  est  e  devise  certeine, 
1780  Entre  Estsex  e  Suthfolc  demeine. 

Ceste  grant  chose  fu  parfeite, 

E  parfurnie  e  a  chief  treite, 

Dunt  jeo  vus  ai  ici  cunte, 

Le  jur  de  la  nativite. 
1785  Del  rei  des  reis,  qui  tutes  choses 

Ad  en  sa  poeste  encloses 

Qui  les  regiuns  done  e  tolt, 

E  les  despent  la  u  il  volt. 

Kant  Edmund  li  [tres]  seint  ber. 
1790  Dunt  avant  vus  volum  mustrer, 

Fu  feit  cheveteyne  e  segnur, 

E  rei  [fu]  de  eel  grant  honur, 

Sapience  li  fu  veisine, 

MS.  11.  1763,  noun;  1767,  esteit  dune  cite  (7  syl.);  1768,  eel  (7  syl.); 
1772,  reis  enoyndre  (7  syl);  1773,  destangle;  1777,  euwe;  1789,  li 
seint  ber  (6  syl.);   1791,  feite  cheveteyn;  1792,  E  rei  de  (7  syl.). 


LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND  IO9 

Ke  lenseigne,  aprent  e  doctrine, 
1795  E  plus  e  plus  i  met  le  sens 

En  son  quer,  e  en  son  purpens, 

Cum  en  Dieu  se  deit  contenir, 

E  coment  la  gent  maintenir, 

E  cume  grant  chose  ad  conquise 
1800  E  cume  grant  feisance  emprise 

E  cume  grant  fes  ad  sur  sei, 

Cil  qui  de  tere  est  prince  e  rei. 

De  tut  ceo  purvit  la  reisun, 

La  mesure  e  la  mesprisiun, 
1805  Par  le  conseil  de  la  mestresce, 

Sapience,  qui  est  furmeresce 

De  tutes  les  choses  del  mund, 

Ke  feites  e  crees  [i]  sunt; 

Omnicreatice  la  claiment 
1 8 10  Tuz  eels  qui  mesure  e  dreit  aiment. 

Li  ber,  Seint  Edmund,  sa  doctrine 

[Re]  treit  bien,  e  sa  discipline; 

Sa  simplesce  ert  tant  enterine 

Dulce,  amiable  e  columbine, 
181 5  E  sa  fierte  si  atempree, 

E  de  tut  si  a  mesuree; 

Columb  sanz  fel  vers  ses  amis 

Esteit ;  e  vers  ses  enemiz 

Eveziez  plus  que  [nuls]  draguns 
1820  Esteit,  [e]  plus  fiers  que  leuns, 

E  contre  pensez  de  purpens ; 

E  quanquil  diseit  esteit  sens. 

Tant  par  ert  e  ferme  e  estable 

En  mesure,  que  unkes  diable 
1825  Par  engin  ne  [le]  purreit  feire 

De  dreit  [ni]  de  reisun  retreire; 

Ni  malengin  par  coveitise, 

MS.  11.  1799,  1800  and  1801,  cum;    1808,  creez  sount  (7  syl.);    181 2 
Ke  treit  bien;  1815,  A  sa; '1818-20,  .   vers  ses  enemys ;  Eveziez 

plus  que  draguns,  Esteit  plus  fiers  que  nuls  leouns;    1825,  ne  purreit 
(7  syl.);    1826,  De  dreit,  de  reisun  (7  syl.). 


HO  LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND 

Quil  se  retreisist  de  justise 

Nel  purreit  unc  par  nul  arveire, 
1830  Par  duns  ni  promesses  deceivre ; 

E  la  chose  quil  ne  saveit, 

Entendantement  enquereit. 

La  reale  veie  si  erra, 

Quil  unkes  [de]hors  n[en]  ala; 
1835  Ni  trop  a  destre  senhalceant, 

Ni  trop  a  senestre  apuiant 

A  vice  ne  a  iniquite 

Del  humaine  f ragilite ; 

Issi  par  reisun  e  dreiture, 
1840  Lestreite  line  de  mesure 

Tint ;  que  ultre  ne  passa  vers  destre 

Ni  hors  nala  devers  senestre; 

Qui  hors  de  cele  line  va, 

Reisun,  dreit  ni  mesure  na. 
1845  As  vedves  e  as  orfanins 

Fu  pere  pius  e  enterins, 

Francs  e  larges  as  besoinus 

As  povres  e  as  sufreitus. 

Tuz  jurs  recorde  en  son  corage 
1850  Le  dit  ke  jadis  dit  un  sage: 

"Establi  te  unt  rei  e  princier? 

Ne  te  voile  trop  enhalcier, 

Meis  tel  seies  entre  ta  gent, 

Si  cum  un  dels  comunalment." 
1855  Issi  fu  Seint  Edmund  as  suens 

Francs,  deboneire  e  simple  e  buens ; 

E  pur  ceo  quil  de  eels  esteit, 

Dunt  lapostle  nus  amenteit : 

"Nus  sumes  a  Dieu  bon  odur, 

fE  MS.  11.  1828,  treisist  (7  syl.);  1829-30,  arveire:  deceivre.  I  have 
not  ventured  to  correct  to  deceveir;  both  the  metre  and  the  e  in  arveire 
seem  to  forbid.  1832,  entendantment  (7  syl.);  1833,  real,  issi;  1834, 
hors  ne  ala  (6  syl.);  1835,  enhalceant  (7  syl.);  1837,  vices  ni  (9  syl.); 
1841,  Tant;  1846,  puis;  1847,  Franc,  bosoynus;  1849,  iours;  1851, 
Establete;  1855,  a  suens;    1856,  Franc,  bons. 


LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND  III 

i860  En  tuz  lius  e  bone  dulceur, 

En  cele  qui  perisent  defrunt 

E  en  icels  qui  salf  resunt." 

Cum  par  tut  flaire  le  flairur 

De  Dieu,  e  de  sa  dulce  odur ; 
1865  Ceo  est  la  bone  renumee 

De  vie  honeste  demustree, 

Qui  esclercist  tuz  jurs  apres, 

En  bone  fame,  loinz  e  pres. 

Si  fu  de  la  vie  al  barun, 
1870  Seint  Edmund,  dunt  nus  ci  parlum. 

Ceo  dit  Seint  Augustin  le  grant : 

"Vus  qui  amastes  le  bien  feisant 

Vus  vesquistes  sanz  nul  retur, 

En  Dieu  e  en  sa  dulce  odur." 
1875  E  par  icele  odur  demeine, 

Remort  celi  qui  trop  se  peine 

De  envie  aver  sur  tute  rien, 

Vers  celi  qui  tuz  jurs  fet  bien. 

De  tels  enviiis,  a  estrus, 
1880  Fu  Lothebrok  li  envius, 

Qui  mult  fu  riches  de  grant  fin, 

Meis  trop  esteit  felun  veisin. 

Kar  fel  esteit  vers  ses  procheins, 

E  mult  cruel  vers  ses  lointeins. 
1885  Gopil  a  tuz  vers  ses  parenz, 

E  enemi  a  tutes  genz. 

Lothebrok  sune  en  engleis, 

Ruisel  hainus  [est]  en  franceis. 

Vereiement  hainus  esteit 
1890  II,  e  ceo  que  de  li  surdeit 

Kar  il  aveit  treis  fiz  feluns, 

E  si  vus  dirrai  bien  lur  nuns : 

Ingar  aveit  a  nun  lainne, 

Hubbe  laltre,  Bern  le  puisne. 

MS.  11.  1867,  esclerzist;  1875,  icel;  1878,  iours;  1884,  lonteins; 
i887,soune;  1888,  hainus  en  (7  syl.);  1889,  Vereyment  (7  syl.);  1893, 
liainne  (9  syl.);    1894,  Hulbe  (?);    baerin. 


112  LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND 

1895  En  un  angle  mananz  esteient 

De  le  Danemarche  u  maneient. 

En  mer  fu  eel  liu  enangle 

Mult  bien  enclos  e  bien  ferme, 

Quil  ne  doteient  nules  genz, 
1900  Ni  les  Guteis,  [de]  lur  parenz, 

Qui  cele  gent  cum  mort  haieient, 

Kar  plusurs  mals  fet  les  aveient. 

Cil  Lothebrok  e  ses  treis  fiz 

Furent  de  tute  gent  ha'iz 
1905  Kar  utlages  furent  en  mer ; 

Unk  ne  finerent  de  rober 

Tuz  jurs  vesquirent  de  rapine; 

Tere  ne  cuntree  veisine 

Nert  pres  dels,  u  il,  a  larun, 
19 10  Neusent  feit  envasiun. 

De  ceo  furent  si  enrichez, 

Amuntez  e  amanantez, 

Quil  aveient  grant  aiinee 

De  gent  e  mult  grant  asemblee, 
191 5  Quil  aveient  en  lur  companie 

Kant  errouent  od  lur  navie; 

Destrut  en  aveient  meint  pais, 

Meint  poeple  destrut  e  occis. 

Nule  contree  lez  la  mer, 
1920  Ne  se  poeit  dels  ja  garder. 

Iceles  genz,  ices  tiranz 

Furent  de  curages  mult  granz; 

Armes  aveient  merveiluses, 

Granz  a  demesure  e  hiduses, 
1925  Od  tut  ceo  chescun  sa  partie 

Out  de  chescune  felunie 
Ingar  ert  si  fel  e  culvert, 

E  de  felunie  si  ouvert, 

Ke  nul  conustre  nel  poeit, 

MS.  11.  1896,  Delee  danmarch;  1899,  nuls;  1900,  Guteis  lur  parenz 
(7  syl.);  1906  Unkes;  1907,  iours;  1914,  asemble;  1920,  put  (7  syl.); 
1931,     Icels;    1923.  merveilouses;  1924,  hidouses. 


LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND  113 

1930  Si  fel,  si  atilus  esteit, 

Que  a  mil  home  ne  deist 

Son  corage,  ne  descoverist. 

Hubbe  fu  sorciers,  si  sout  lestre 

De  sorcierie,  si  fu  mestre ; 
J935  Ja  ne  ^ust  nost  Q11^  surve'ist, 

Quil  od  poi  de  gent  ne  venquist, 
Bern  ert  si  fel  e  si  engres, 

De  ire  anguisuse  si  ires, 

Lire  de  li  fu  si  ardant, 
1940  Suz  ciel  ni  ad  home  vivant, 

Quil  esparniast  a  nul  foer, 

Kant  lire  li  [ajmunte  en  quer, 

Ke  de  li  feist  le  nes  voler, 

U  oreile  u  les  oilz  crever ; 
1945  Ja  ne  li  fut  si  fin  parent, 

Meis  il  out  od  li  une  gent 

Granz  e  membruz,  ki  le  teneient, 

Kant  ses  hees  li  surveneient. 
Un  jur  vindrent  devant  le  pere, 
1950  Ingar,  Hubbe  e  Bern  lur  frere, 

Li  murdrer,  li  engres  larun, 

Devant  lur  pere,  le  f elun ; 

Se  sunt  asis  en  sa  presence; 

Chescun  apres  laltre  comence 
1955  A  retreire  les  larecins 

Quil  unt  fet  a  lur  veisins, 

Les  murdres  e  les  traisuns, 

Les  roberies,  les  arsuns, 

Les  destrucciuns  deglises, 
i960  Les  aguaiz  e  les  granz  occises, 

Dunt  il  unt  destrut  e  gaste 

Meinte  tere  e  meinte  contree. 
Lur  pere  les  oit  e  entent 

MS.  11.  1933,  Hulbe  (?),  si  sout  tut  le  estre  (9  syl.);  1936,  venqueist ; 
1937,  Berin  (9  syl.);  1939,  Le  ire;  1940,  nad  (7  syl.).  1942, le  ire,li 
munt  (7  syl.);  1950,  Hulbe,  berin;  1955,  larcins  (7  syl.);  1957,  treisun 
(7  syl.);   1964,  orgulousement. 


114  LA    VIE   SEINT    EDMUND 

Parler  si  orgulusement, 
1965  Les  denz  aguisse  e  cruist  e  gruint, 

Frunce  del  neis,  frunce  del  frunt, 

Roule  des  oilz  od  quer  enfle, 

Ad  si  respondu  e  parle; 

Od  grant  dedegne,  si  ad  dit: 
1970  Laniers  ceo  dit — malveis  requist! 

"Tut  est  vent  quanque  vus  parlez; 

Nest  rien  de  ceo  dunt  vus  vantez 

Kanz  pais  [e]  kantes  regiuns, 

Kantes  cites,  kantes  mansiuns 
1975  Avez  conquis  e  purchaciez, 

Dunt  de  rien  seiez  enhalciez. 

Un  juvencel,  de  Sessoine  ne, 

Nun  Edmund,  si  est  nume, 

Fiz  del  rei  qui  [ore]  est  segnur 
1980  De  Sessoine,  e  qui  tient  lonur, 

Od  poi  de  gent,  en  mer  .entra, 

Od  sul  treis  nefs,  si  ariva 

En  Estangle  dunt  ore  est  sire 

E  reis,  e  prince  del  empire.  * 

1985  Le  pais  ad,  e  le  regne, 

Suz  sa  main,  a  sa  volente. 

Quele  aventure  e  quele  conqueste 

Feistes  unc  semblable  a  ceste? 

Ahi !  cume  f eite  engendrure 
1990  E  cume  bone  nuriture 

Ai  fet  en  vus,  e  quels  enfanz 

Ke  tant  par  vus  feites  puisanz !" 

Cil  sunt  de  grant  ire  embrase, 

Pur  lur  pere  qui  out  si  parle, 
1995  Pur  la  vergoine  quil  unt  eii. 

De  la  sale  se  sunt  eisu, 

MS.  11.  1966,  neis;  1970,  Lanier  ceo  ait  malveis  requist:  MS. 
reading  evidently  corrupt,  and  the  reading  above,  suggested  by  Arn- 
old, is  very  doubtful;  1973,  Kantes  pais,  kantes;  1974,  cites  e  kantes 
(9  syl.);  1978,  noun,  issi;  1982,  soul,  niefes;  1985,  regnee;  1989, 
cum  feit;  1990,  cum. 


LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND 


1^5 


Trestuz  pensis,  de  ire  enragez, 
Cument  purrunt  estre  vengez 
De  Edmund,  fiz  le  rei  de  Sessoine, 

2000  Pur  qui  aveient  hunte  e  vergoine 

De  lur  pere,  qui  si  les  laidi ; 
Mult  en  sunt  irrie  e  marri 
Purparlant  vunt  la  traisun, 
Cument  averunt  le  barun 

2005  E  puis  si  unt  tuz  lur  privez, 

E  lur  pere  ensemble  ajustez; 
Conseil  les  unt  de  ceo  requis, 
E  il  diseient  lur  avis. 

Tant  en  parlerent  en  comun, 

2010  Quil  en  furent  trestuz  en  un, 

Ke  en  Estangle  dreit  en  irunt, 
E  le  pais  tut  destruirunt, 
E  occirunt  tute  la  gent, 
Riches,  poures  comunalment, 

2015  Vielz  [e]  joefnes,  petiz  e  granz, 

Homes  e  femes  e  enfanz, 
E  le  rei  Edmund,  tut  primier, 
Voldrunt  occire  e  detrenchier. 
Dune  feseient  lur  host  banir, 

2020  E  genz  comencent  a  venir. 

Une  gent  hiduse  e  grant, 
Quaveient  orible  semblant. 
Les  uns  unt  res  les  chefs  amunt, 
Tut  fors  un  tup  devant  le  frunt. 

2025  E  les  acuns  unt  res  les  chefs 

Trestuz  fors  un  tupet  detries. 
Mulz  i  vindrent,  par  mer,  par  tere, 
Armez  e  prestz  de  fere  guere. 
Par  mer  vindrent  de  tutes  parz, 

2030  E  en  dromunz  e  en  chalanz, 


f  MS.  11.  1999,  Edmund  le  fiz  (9  syl.);  2006,  peres;  2008,  il  les  dis- 
eient (9  syl.);  201  s,  vielz  ioefnes  (7  syl.);  2019,  feseient  tost  (9  syl.); 
2022,  mult  orible  (9  syl.);    2028,  prestez  (9  syl.);    2029,  tute. 


Il6  LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND 

E  en  esnekes  e  en  hallos,  (i) 

En  bouces,  en  barges  pertros; 

Mil  nefs  en  une  compainie, 

Mult  asemblerent  grant  navie, 
2035  Ke  tute  fu  la  mer  cover te, 

De  cele  pute  gent  culverte. 
Quant  il  unt  apreste  lur  eire 

En  la  mer  se  mettent  aneire, 

En  halte  mer  sen  vunt  siglant, 
2040  Trestuz  emsemble,  en  un  tenant. 

Tant  unt  par  cele  mer  erre, 

E  tant  curu  e  tant  sigle 

Par  aces  e  par  amuntes, 

Unt  tant  sigle  par  lur  jurnes, 
2°45  Quil  unt  Engletere  choisie, 

Si  laprochent  od  lur  navie; 

En  dreit  del  pais  del  North  erent, 

Tant  cururent,  quil  ariverent 

Juste  la  mer,  sur  la  costere, 
2050  Od  lur  estoire  grant  e  fiere ; 

Kar  nul  port  receivre  ne  pout 

Lestoire,  tantes  nefs  i  out, 

Dunt  la  compainie  fu  tant  grant. 

Ceo  fu  endreit  Northumberland, 
2055  U  cele  gent  sunt  arivee. 

II  sespandent  par  la  contree. 

Minut  ert,  les  cokes  chantanz 

Kant  eels  laruns,  eels  malfesanz 

Se  mistrent  parfunt  en  le  pais, 
2060  Bien  uit  liwes  u  neuf  u  dis. 

Ceo  fut  Ingar  qui  la  avala; 

Sur  la  marine  Hubbe  leissa. 

Damparz  trestuz  [dune]  se  armerent 

E  lur  batailes  [si]  contrerent, 

MS.  11.  2033,  niefes;  2035,  tut;  2052,niefes;  2053,  tan;  2057,  mynute; 
2060,  nef;  2063,  Trestuz  se  (7  syl.);  2064,  batailes,  contreerent. 

Note  (1):  hallos:  I  have  been  unable  to  identify  this  word. ^Possi- 
bly it  is  a  mutilated  form  of  chaloupr. 


LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND  II7 

2065  Quil  furent  al  albe  aparant, 

Kant  le  jur  vait  esclarisant, 

Trestuz  aprestez  de  mal  fere. 

Li  enemi,  li  adversaire. 

Dune  se  desrengent  e  dereient, 
2070  Ardent  e  robent  tut,  e  preient. 

Es  liz  occient  les  dormanz, 

E  tut  destrenchent  les  veilanz ; 

Nul  ne  poet  aver  garisun, 

Ne  de  sa  vie  ranciun, 
2075  Ke  tut  ne  seit  a  mort  livere, 

Kanque  ateint  unt  e  encontre. 

Cil  ki  de  Ingar  poet  eschaper 

Nad  u  f uir  fors  vers  la  mer ; 

Al  encontrer  ne  poet  guandir 
2080  De  Hubbe,  quil  nestuet  morir. 

Ne  aveient  garisun  ne  ados 

De  mort  le  poeple  quil  unt  enclos 

De  lur  deus  hosts  e  de  lur  gent, 

Ke  occis  ne  seient  a  turment. 
2085  Quant  cele  grant  preie  unt  acquise 

E  fet  aveit  la  grant  occise, 

Ingar  li  fel,  [li]  vezier  lere, 

Prist  conseil  a  Hubbe  son  frere, 

Kil  lerait  la  li  e  sa  gent, 
2090  Si  ireit  devers  orient ; 

La  meite  del  hoste  i  menereit, 

E  laltre  meite  li  lerreit. 

Kant  ceo  fut  purparle  e  fet, 

En  mer  se  mette,  si  sen  vet. 
2095  Od  grant  estoire,  od  grant  navie, 

Od  merveiluse  compainie, 

Se  mistrent  en  la  halte  mer. 

Unc  ne  finirent  de  sigler 

Tanquil  vindrent  a  un  port, 

MS.  11.  2068,  adversiere;  2070,  Ardent  robent  (7  syl.);  2071,  En 
liz;  2073,  poeit;  2075,  morte;  2077,  poeit;  2078,  fuer;  2081,  ne; 
2082,  del  morte;  2083,  hostes;    2085,  prei;    2087,  li  fel  vezier  (7  syl.). 


Il8  LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND 

2 too  Ke  la  gent  claime  Orefort, 

Ke  dune  ert  une  grant  cite, 

Anciene,  de  antiquite. 

Devant  le  port,  loinz  en  la  mer, 

Leisserent  sigles  avaler : 
2105  De  tutes  parz  ancre  se  sunt ; 

Desque  la  nut  attendu  unt. 

Quant  il  vienent  a  la  nuitant, 

[E]  quil  virent  le  riot  muntant, 

Mult  tost  se  sunt  desaancre, 
21 10  E  enz  le  port  sunt  tuz  entre, 

Tuit  alarun,  cum  gopilz, 

Qui  par  nut  cerche  les  cortilz 

Pur  les  gelins,  le  [fel]  vilain 

Dunt  volt  aver  son  ventre  plain ; 
21 15  E  cume  lou,  fel  e  maldiz, 

Qui  entre  en  la  falde  as  brebiz, 

Quant  est  endormi  le  pastur; 

Si  fist  Ingar,  le  traitur, 

Ki  en  la  tere  des  Estangleis. 
2120  Vint  cume  beste  muntaneis, 

Kant  les  genz  furent  en  lur  liz, 

E  les  poeples  furent  endormiz. 

En  la  cite  subdeinement 

Entra,  il  e  tute  sa  gent; 
2125  Quant  veit  que  les  ad  si  surpris, 

Des  katre  parz  unt  le  feu  mis ; 

Dune  pristrent  tut  comunalment, 

Le  aver,  les  dras,  le  or  e  le  argent, 

La  cite  mistrent  en  carbun, 
2130  Puis  feseient  tele  occisiun, 

De  la  cheitive  gent  ke  [i]  erent 

Qui  garde  dels  ne  se  donerent, 

Bouche  de  home  nel  poet  dire, 

MS.  11.  2104,  leissierent;  2106,  nute;  2107,  E  quant  il  veient  (9  syl.); 
2108,  Quil  virent  (7  syl.);  2111,  cum;  2112,  nute;  2113,  le  vilain 
(7  syl.);  2115,  cum;  21 17,  pastour;  2118,  treitour  \  2120,  cum; 
muntaneis;   2125,  supris;   2 131,  ki. 


LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND  1 19 

La  occise  e  la  grant  martire 
2135  Des  cheitives  e  des  cheitis ; 

Nul  ne  poet  dels  esturtre  vifs, 

Quil  en  lur  glaive  [n]  encheisent, 

E  que  orible  mort  ne  suffrisent. 

Feseient  lur  iniquite 
2140  E  ravirent  la  chastete 

Des  espuses  e  des  puceles, 

Des  vedves  e  des  damiseles; 

A  grant  dolur  les  demenerent 

E  huntusement  les  vergunderent, 
2145  E  puis  apres,  a  mort  les  mistrent, 

E  detrenchierent  e  occistrent. 

Les  baruns,  veanz  lur  muliers 

Deglagierent  les  aversiers; 

E  les  muliers  tut  ensement, 
2150  Mistrent  a  mort  e  a  turment. 

Joefnes  e  vielz,  petiz  e  granz, 

E  les  enfanz,  [les]  alaitanz, 

Destrenchierent  e  esbuelrent, 

Occistrent  e  a  mort  getterent. 
2155  Kant  lur  eschet  unt  iluc  feit, 

Amunt  el  pais  se  sunt  treit. 

Tut  altre  tel  funt  les  tiranz 

Des  gaainurs,  des  paisanz 

Tuz  les  [i]  unt  morts  e  occis 
2160  E  lur  aver  robe  e  pris, 

Fors  la  cheitive  vilanaile, 

La  povre  gent  e  la  rascaile, 

Quil  dedegnerent  a  tuer, 

E  lur  branz  en  els  besordier. 
2165  A  icels  parle  Ingar  e  dist: 

"Vifs  vus  ai  leisse  par  despist, 

MS.  11.  2137,  glaime,  encheisent  (7  syl.);  2139,  E  feseient  (9  syl.); 
2141,  de;  2142,  de  (bis);  2145,  2150,  morte;  2152,  enfanz  alaitanz 
(7  syl.);  '2154,  morte;  2156,  en  le  (9  syl.);  2158,  gagneurs  (7  syl.); 
2159,  tint  mort  e  occis  (7  syl.);  2162,  poure  (v  and  u  indistin- 
guishable);   2165,  eels  (7  syl.). 


120  LA   VIE   SEINT   EDMUND 

Quen  vostre  sane  ne  voil  muiller 

Mes  beles  armes  ni  soiller. 

E  si  vus  volez  vie  aver, 
2170  Si  me  dites  tost  le  veir, 

De  Edmunt,  le  rei  de  cest  pais. 

U  hante,  u  est  il  estais  ?" 

Cels  aveient  pour  de  morir, 

Nel  osent  celer  ne  coverir; 
2175  Ainz  repundent :  "A  Hailesdun; 

Hoc  [ore]  meint,  ceo  dit  hum." 
Ingar  li  fel,  Dieu  enemis, 

De  males  arz  coint  e  apris, 

Ententivement  le  quereit; 
2180  Kar  sovent  dire  o'i  aveit. 

Ke  Edmund,  li  seint  glorius  rei, 

Out  mult  bones  teches  en  sei ; 

Quil  ert  joefnes,  dentur  trent  anz, 

Pruz  bacheler,  forz  e  valianz ; 
2185  En  bataile  hardi  e  fiers. 

Pur  ceo  se  hasta  le  aversers, 

De  tuz  occire  e  [tuz]  tuer, 

Kanque  en  la  tere  poet  trover, 

Ke  li  reis  sucurs  nen  oust, 
2190  Dunt  il  defendre  se  poust. 

Pur  ceo  se  hasta  Inguar  sanz  fable, 

Li  fel,  li  membres  al  diable, 

De  tost  errer,  de  tost  occire 

Quanquil  pout  trover  en  lempire; 
2195  E  bien  sout  que  li  reis  naveit 

Defense  u  garir  se  purreit, 

En  Hailesdun,  en  eel  hamel, 

Ke  ert  loinz  de  burc  e  de  chastel, 

(Le  Ham,  le  bois  le  ewe  de  le, 
2200  Tut  est  Hailesdun  apelle.) 

U  li  chivaler  Crist  Jesu, 

MS.  11.  2175,  respounent;  2176,  Hoc  meint,  home  (7  syl.);  2177, 
le;  2184,  fort;  2186,  li  (9  syl);  2187,  occire  e  tuer  (7  syl.);  2188, 
poeit;   2192,  membre  (7  syl);    2199,  euwe. 


LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND  121 

Seint  Edmund,  a  cele  ore  fu. 
Ingar  li  Achemenien, 

Ki  unkes  ore  ne  fit  bien, 
2205  Derrer  se  haste  e  se  desreie, 

A  grant  espleit  [si]  tient  sa  veie, 

Tanquil  mei'smes  venu  sunt. 

A  la  vile  u  ert  Seint  Edmund. 

Dune  ad  pris  un  son  chivaler, 
2210  Si  en  ad  fet  son  messagier 

"Va  tost,"  fet  il,  "e  tost  revien, 

Al  rei  Edmund,  si  li  di  bien, 

A  mei  se  rende  e  de  mei  tienge 

Son  regne,  e  mon  home  devienge; 
2215  E  si  me  dune  tut  son  tresor, 

Son  aver,  son  argent,  son  or, 

Treu  me  rende  chescun  an, 

Del  regne,  quant  orra  mon  ban, 

E  en  mes  dieus,  u  me  affi  tant 
2220  Creie,  e  les  seit  obeissant, 

Sul  issi  vers  mei  se  humilie, 

A.sez  tost  li  lerrai  la  vie 

Si  a  mei  ne  se  voult  obeir, 

De  dure  mort  lestuet  morir, 
2225  E  il  e  trestute  sa  gent : 

Ceo  li  dites  seiirement. 

Ne  aez  ja  nule  pour; 

Nus  serrum  pres  a  tun  retur. 
Li  messager  si  [tost]  sen  vait, 
2230  E  dreit  a  Hailesdun  se  trait. 

A  la  porte  vint,  si  hucha, 

E  le  porter  li  demanda: 

"Ki  es  tu  ?  va !  que  vols  ?  que  quiers  ?" 

Cil  dit :  "Jeo  su  un  messagiers ; 
2235  Parler  voldrai  od  vostre  rei." 

Le  porter  dit :  "Attendez  mei ; 

MS.  11.'  2202,  2204,  ;oure;  2206,  espleit-teint  (seven  syl.);  2207, 
mesmes;  2211,  reveien;  2213,  teinge;  2215,  doune;  2223,  voult;  2224, 
morte;  2227,  nul;  2228,  retour;    2229,  si  sen  vait  (7  syl.). 


122  LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND 

Jeo  irrai  a  li,  si  lenquerei, 

Quil  voldra,  si  vus  [le]  dirrei." 

Le  porter  va  al  rei  nuncier, 
2240  "Que  a  la  porte  ad  un  messager, 

E  si  voldreit  a  vus  parler." 

Li  reis  respont :  "Leissel  entrer." 

Li  messager  est  venu  avant, 

Oiant  Seint  Edmund  maintenant, 
2245  E  oaint  trestute  sa  gent, 

Dist  son  message  hardiement : 
"Reis,"  fet  il,  "entendez  a  mei, 

E  tuz  eels  altres  que  ci  vei. 

Ingar,  qui  mult  feit  a  duter, 
2250  En  tut  le  siecle,  en  tere  en  mer, 

Ki  unkes  jur  vencu  ne  fu, 

Ne  james  ne  serra  vencu, 

Ki  [si]  est  nostre  lige  sire, 

Finablement  vus  mande  a  dire : 

22 5  5  Que  vers  cest  Pais  a(*  conquis 

Plusurs  teres,  plusurs  pais, 

Dunt  tuz  les  poeples  sunt  enclin 

A  son  comandement  enfin. 

Ore  est  en  cest  regne  arive, 
2260  Quil  [ja]  mult  par  ad  desire, 

Od  grant  estoire,  od  grant  navie; 

Aver  en  volt  la  segnurie. 

E  en  cest  pais  volt  ester 

Tut  cest  iver  e  sujurner. 
2265  Si  vus  mande  ke  a  li  venez, 

E  tost  son  home  devenez, 

E  de  li  tiengez  vostre  honur, 

Cume  de  vostre  chief  segnur: 

Chescun  an  treii  li  rendez, 
2270  Tantost  cum  vus  son  ban  oirez. 

MS.  11.  2238,  vus  dirrei  (7  syl.);  2242,  lessel;  2248,  autre;  2251, 
iour;  2253,  Ki  est  (7  syl);  2257,  tut  le  poeple  est  (7  syl.);  2260, 
Quil  mult  (7  syl.);  2  264,suiourner;  2267,  honour;  2268,  cum;  segnour. 


LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND  I23 

E  si  li  donez  errantment, 

Tut  vostre  aver,  or  e  argent, 

E  ken  sa  creance  creez, 

E  Crestiente  reneiez. 
2275  Feites  ceo,  ceo  vus  mande  il  bien ; 

E  si  vus  retreiez  de  rien, 

Vus  perderez  mult  tost  la  vie, 

E  le  regne  e  la  segnurie; 

Grant  turment  vus  estuet  sufrir 
2280  E  puis  de  orible  mort  morir. 

Reis,  responez  sanz  [nul]  delai, 

A  mon  segnur  le  nuncierai." 
Quant  li  seintime  reis  ceo  01, 

De  parfunt  quoer  gemist  e  fremi, 
2285  ,E  suspira  od  grant  dolur, 

E  od  grant  ire  e  od  tristur. 

E  un  son  evesque  apella, 

Ki  ert  son  prive,  si  demanda, 

Quel  conseil  aver  en  purreit, 
2290  E  que,  sur  ceo  li  respondereit  ? 

E  cil  li  conseila  e  dist, 

E  loa  bien  quil  [tut  ceo]  feist, 

Kanque  Ingar  li  aveit  mande 

Pur  aver  vie  e  salvete ; 
2295  Prendre  purreit  confessiun, 

Quant  ale  sen  fut  li  felun. 
Kant  li  reis  loit  si  regarda 

Vers  la  tere,  un  poi  sembruncha, 

Aval  regarda,  si  se  tout. 
2300  Quant  une  piece  pense  out, 

Cuntre  munt  ad  son  chief  leve; 

Oiez  quil  ad  dit  e  parle : 

"Evesque,  Dieus,  dunt  surst  tut  bien, 

Ki  justise  est  de  tute  rien, 

MS.  11.  2271,  erraument;  2276,  vus  vus  retreiez  (9  syl.);  2280,  morte; 
2281,  sanz  delai  (7  syl.);  2283,  seintim  rey;  2284,  quor;  2288,  privee; 
2292,  quil-feist  (6  syl.);  2297,  lout;  2297,  agarde  a;  2299  esgarda;  2304, 
justis,  tut. 


124  LA   VIE    SEINT    EDMUND 

2305  II  seit  [ore]  temoin  de  mei, 

Ke  empereor,  prince  ne  rei, 

Ne  nul  hum  que  seit  ne  en  mund, 

Ne  departira  mei,  Edmund, 

Mort  ne  vif,  de  la  charite. 
2310  Jesus  Crist  quen  croiz  fu  pene, 

Ki  anel  de  fei  jeo  ai  receu, 

Al  funz  kant  jeo  baptise  fu, 

U  deniai  e  deguerpi 

Del  tut,  Sathanas  lenemi, 
2315  E  ses  ovres  e  ses  pompees, 

Les  males  les  demesurees." 

Dune  dist  li  seint  reis  dreiturer, 

E  si  parla  al  messagier : 

"Digne  fussez  de  aver  la  mort 
2320  Des  mains  des  miens,  meis  jeo  record 

Ke  Jesu  nostre  salveiir, 

Pur  nus  suffrit  mort  e  dolur, 

Pur  ceo  ne  te  voil  adeser, 

Ne  mes  mains  en  tei  maculer. 
2325  En  le  nun  Dieu,  voil  la  mort  sufrir, 

Mielz  qua  vostre  rei  obeir. 

Va  ten  mult  test  e  si  li  di 

Ceste  response  que  as  ci  01." 
A  peine  aveit  ces  moz  pardiz 
2330  Li  seintim  reis,  e  parfurniz; 

A  peine  aveit  turne  son  oil, 

E  li  messager  passe  le  soil, 

Ai  vus !  encuntre  le  f ricun 

Ingar,  li  engres  felun. 
2335  Al  messagier  dist  par  desrei : 

"Di  mei  la  response  le  rei." 

E  cil  li  dist  de  mot  en  mot, 

[|JMS.  11.  3305,  seit  temoyne  (7  syl.);  2306,  eperur;  2307,  home; 
2310,  croice;  2312,  bapticc;  2319,  morte;  2320,  De  maynes,  rec- 
orde;  2322,  morte;  2324,  me;  2325,  noun,  voile,  morte;  2328,  cest 
respons;  2329,  payne;  2331,  payne;  2332,  out  passe  (10  syl.);  2336, 
tost  les  respons  (9  syl.).  ft Ik* 


LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND  125 

Cume  li  reis  respondu  out. 

E  li  tiranz,  kant  le  entendi, 
2340  Si  comanda  tost  e  bani, 

Ke  tute  sa  gent  sespandisent, 

E  [tuz]  tuassent  e  ocisent, 

E  de  querre  mult  les  somunt, 

Nomeement  le  rei  Edmunt, 
2345  Ki  dedegne  ses  leis  tenir, 

E  a  ses  preceptes  obeir. 

Cels  sespandent  amunt,  aval, 

Qui  mult  coveiterent  le  mal. 

Kanquil  troverent  detrenchierent 
2350  E  occistrent  e  deglagierent, 

En  la  vile  de  Hailesdun. 

Tut  pristrent  li  colvert  larun 

Le  aver  ke  en  la  vile  troverent ; 

Naveit  meisun  quil  ne  pelfrirent. 
2355  Dune  sunt  dreit  al  paleis  veneu 

U  le  ami  Dieu,  Seint  Edmund  fu, 

Cume  le  membre  Jesu  Crist, 

Trestut  sul  en  son  paleis  sist. 

Kant  choisi  lunt,  mult  tost  f u  pris ; 
2360  A  tere  lunt  gette  e  mis, 

E  puis  apres  li  unt  liez. 

Estreitement,  e  mains  e  piez 

Dune  lunt  les  feluns  treine, 

E  pardevant  Ingar  mene, 
2365  Li  colvert  due,  de  mal  esclate. 

Cum  Jesu  fu  devant  Pilate, 

Sestut  devant  li,  li  seint  rei, 

Arme  de  creance  e  de  fei, 

Ki  coveite  ensivre  la  trace 
2370  De  Jesu  Crist,  qui  par  sa  grace 

Suffrit  e  mort  e  passiiin 

Pur  nus  e  pur  nostre  ranceun. 

MS.  11.  2338,  cum;  2339,  tirant;  2342,  E  tuassent,  occeissent  (7  syl.); 
2344,  nomement;  2357,  cum;  2358,  soul;  2364,  amene  (9  syl.);  2372, 
raanceun  (9  syl.). 


126  LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND 

Seint  Edmund  tienent  ferme  lie 

Devant  le  tirant  enrage. 
2375  De  meinte  manere  gabe 

Lunt,  e  laidi  e  buffete. 

Puis  lunt  mene  demeintenant 

De  iloc,  les  ministres  al  tirant, 

E  en  menant  lunt  si  batu 
2380  Pur  poi  que  [li  reis]  mort  ne  fu; 

E  dune  lunt  amene  tut  dreit, 

A  un  arbre,  qui  pres  esteit. 

Apres,  le  unt,  la  malveise  gent, 

Al  arbre  lie  fermement; 
2385  E  puis  forment  le  turmenterent, 

E  batirent  e  flaelerent, 

E  de  bastuns  puinals  mult  granz 

E  descurgez  e  de  verganz. 

Unkes  hum  de  mere  nasquit, 
2390  Ki  tant  mortel  dolur  suffrit; 

Unkes  pur  ceo  vencu  ne  fu, 

Kil  napellast  le  nun  Jesu, 

Ki  pur  nus  fu  mis  en  la  croiz, 

Plurant  od  mult  pituse  voiz. 
2395  Kant  les  turmenturs  ceo  veieient, 

Ke  par  tant  veindre  nel  purreient, 

Enragez  sunt,  de  ire  embrasez 

Pur  poi  quil  ne  sunt  forsenez. 

Tuz  a  un  bruit  les  enemis 
2400  Lur  saites,  lur  arcs  unt  pris, 

Lur  pilez  e  lur  darz  aguz, 

E  lur  gavelocs  esmoluz, 

Un  poi  se  esloignent  del  seint  rei 

E  dune  traistrent  par  grant  desrei, 
2405  Trestuz  al  cors  del  seint  martir, 

Ensemble,  par  si  grant  air, 

Que  les  braz  li  unt  estroez, 

MS.  11.  2380,  que  mort  (6  syl.);  2381,  mene  (7  syl.);  2388,  descur- 
giez;  2389,  home;  2393,  croice;  2394,  voice;  2305  ,  veient  (7  syl.); 
2399,  seites  (7  syl.);    2402,  gavelokes. 


LA   VIE    SEINT    EDMUND  \2,J 

Quises  e  geambes  e  costez, 

Par  mi  le  dos,  par  mi  lentraile, 
2410  E  parmi  la  mestre  coraile, 

Parmi  le  chief  e  la  cervele, 

Parmi  le  ventre  e  la  boele; 

Lunt  trespercie  de  tutes  parz 

Saites,  gavelocs  e  darz. 
2415  Tant  trait  e  tant  lancie  unt 

Al  cors  del  seint  martir,  Edmund. 

Tant  i  treistrent  espessement, 

E  pilez  e  darz  ensement, 

Ke  lune  plaie  en  laltre  [s]ovre, 
2420  Kant  la  saite  liu  recovre, 

E  tant  espes  i  sunt  li  dart, 

Kant  il  les  traient  cele  part, 

Ke  lune  escorche  laltre  el  cors, 

U  de  laltre  part  le  boute  hors. 
2425  Tant  i  out  des  darz  grant  fuisun, 

En  le  cors  del  seintime  barun, 

Pel  de  hericeon  resembla, 

U  tel  fuisun  despines  a. 

II  nout  ne  braz,  ne  poinz,  ne  pie, 
2430  Que  plein  ne  fut  de  darz  fiche 

E  de  saites  e  de  darz 

Tant  en  [i]  out  de  tutes  parz 

Ke  nul  ne  pout  de  oil  choisir. 

La  char  del  seintime  martir. 
2435  Quant  li  cruel  Ingar  veit 

Quil  ne  poeit  en  nul  endreit, 

Fere  Seint  Edmund,  le  martir, 

A  ses  comandemenz  obeir, 

Ni  obeir  a  ses  comanz, 
2440  Dune  comanda  li  fel  tiranz 

As  turmenturs  qui  pres  [i]  erent, 

MS.  11.  2414,  Seites  (7  syl.);  2419,  oure  (7  syl.);  2421,  espesse;  2423, 
escoche,  en  cors;  2426,  seintim,  2427,  hericiun;,  2430,  fichee;  2432, 
en  out  (7  syl.);  2433,  put;  2434.  seintim;  2439.  Ne;  2441,  turmentours 
qui  pres  erent  (7  syl.). 


128  LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND 

Ke  cruelement  le  turmenterent, 

Ke  la  teste  tost  li  colpassent. 

E  ignelement  decolassent. 
2445  Li  decoleiir  veint  avant 

Al  seint  martir,  Dieu  reclamant, 

Jesu  Crist  od  pituse  voiz, 

Qui  pur  nus  fu  mis  en  la  croiz; 

Sicum  il  pout,  mult  reclama 
2450  Jesu  Crist  e  sovent  noma, 

Tanque  le  seintime  martir 

Pout  de  la  lange  mot  furnir; 

Si  fu  ateint  quil  ne  pout  plus ; 

Li  decoleiir  fist  son  us. 
2455  Le  seint  martir  ad  deslie, 

E  del  fut  sanglant  lad  sache. 

Enperce  fu  de  tutes  parz, 

E  de  sa'ites  e  de  darz, 

Ken  le  dur  fust  enserre  esteient, 
2460  Al  sacher  en  le  fust  remaneient ; 

E  parmi  le  cors  se  conduistrent, 

E  les  fieres  plaies  remistrent, 

Tant  espessement  en  le  cors 

Ke  point  dentre  ne  piert  de  hors, 
2465  U  le  point  tuchast  dun  pointel, 

Que  blesmie  ne  fust  la  pel 

Del  seint  martir,  del  bon  barun; 

Mult  suffrit  peine  e  passiun, 

A  peine  en  le  cors  li  bateit 
2470  Lalme;  tant  turmente  esteit, 

Ka  peine  pout  ester  sur  piez. 

Li  decoleiir  si  fu  irez, 

Si  li  comanda  maintenant, 

Ke  le  chief  estendit  avant 
2475  Que  soleit  estre  corunee, 

E  de  reale  curune  urnee. 

MS.  11.  2443  le  2447»  piteuse;  voyce;  2448,  croyce  2451,  seint  (6  syl.); 
2457,  enberse;  2458,  seites  (7  syl.);  2458,  dure;  2469,  en  core  (7 
syl.);    2475,   ia  soleit  (9  syl);   corune;  2476,  real,  urne. 


LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND  1 29 

Li  martir  Dieu,  nostre  segnur, 

Sestut  devant  les  turmenturs, 

Si  cum  li  mutun  qui  est  esliz 
2480  De  tute  la  falde  de  berbiz, 

Ke  mort  e  sacrifice  atent, 

Si  fist  le  seint  hum  ensement, 

Ki  volt  sa  vie  teriene 

Changier  pur  la  celestiene, 
2485  Ententif  en  Dieu  benefice, 

Atent  de  sei  le  sacrifice, 

Repleniz  de  bone  manere, 

De  la  pardurable  lumere, 

De  la  quele  en  ceste  bataile, 
2490  Volt  estre  resaziez  sanz  faile. 

Entre  les  urisuns  quil  fist 

Vers  son  salveur,  Jesu  Crist, 

Li  decoleiir  ad  de  sespee 

A  un  cop  sa  teste  copee. 
2495  Issi  departit  de  cest  mund, 

Lalme  del  seint  martir,  Edmund; 

Issi  otrea  a  suffrir 

Dieus  [St.]  Edmund,  son  cher  martir, 

Pur  li  e  son  seintime  nun, 
2500  Martire  e  mort  e  passiun. 

E  de  sa  vie  prist  amendes, 

En  le  tens  del  duzime  Kalendes 

De  Decembre;  ceo  dit  lestoire, 

Ke  Dieus  le  resceust  en  sa  gloire 
2505  E  quil  suffrit  le  sacrifice 

De  sei,  pur  Dieu  e  seinte  eglise. 

En  la  fin  de  sa  passiun 

Resceust  tele  expurgaciun, 

Ke  plus  fu  purge  e  pruve, 
2510  Que  ne  [l]est  fin  or  esmere. 

Od  la  victoire  que  out  conquise, 

MS.  11.  2478,  turmentour;  2494,  test;  2498,  Dieus  Edmundjj^syl.) ; 
2499,  seintim  noun;  2500,  martir,  morte;  2501,  1[;  2506,  put  (bis) 
(9  syl.);  2509  pruvee;  2510,  ne  est  (7  syl.). 


I30  LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND 

E  od  la  corune  de  justise, 

Entra  en  pardurable  bien 

En  seint  cene  celestien. 
2515  Par  cele  eissue  vereiment 

De  mort  e  de  cruciement, 

Quil  [si]  out  de  son  cors  sufferte, 

Par  lur  mal,  nient  par  sa  deserte, 

E  quil  out  ensuwi  la  trace 
2520  De  Jesu  Crist,  qui  par  sa  grace, 

Suffrit  e  mort  e  passiun, 

Pur  nus  e  nostre  raanceun 
Cil  pur  saner  nus  en  ceste  vie 

De  pechie,  de  mal,  de  folie, 
2525  A  la  columpne  u  fut  lie, 

Ne  pas  pur  sei  son  sane  espandie 

Meis  pur  nus  il  leissa  ensegnes 

Des  bateures  e  des  engreines, 

Quil  suffrit  pur  nus  salver 
2530  E  pur  nus  hors  denfer  getter; 

E  cist  pur  la  gloire  conquere, 

Ke  unkes  ne  fait,  suffrit  en  tere, 

Liez  al  fut  sanglant,  tele  peine, 

Pur  lamur  Jesu  Crist  demeine. 
2535  Cil,  Dieus  e  hum  entier  en  vie, 

Pur  hoster  de  nus  la  felonie, 

E  la  roile  de  nos  pechiez, 

De  gre  suffrit  que  cloufichiez 

Fut,  par  mi  piez  e  par  mi  mainz, 
2540  De  clous  de  fer,  hidus  griffains. 

Icist  pur  la  veire  amiste 

De  Jesu  Crist  fu  trespercie 

De  pilez,  darz  e  gavelos 

Parmi  la  meule  e  [par]  les  os, 
2 545  Ke  tut  son  cors,  de  tutes  parz 

De  pilez,  gavelos  e  darz, 

MS.  11.  2517,  Quil  out,  suffert  (7  syl.);  2518,  desert;  2521,  morte, 
2523,  Cil  Dieus  (10  sly),  2532,  suffri;  2533,  a  fu  2535,  home;  2537,10 
roile;    2544,  e  les  os  (7  syl.). 


LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND  I3I 

Ert  si  covert  que  rien  ne  piert 

Del  cors,  qui  dedens  enclos  ert, 

Ke  tut  decire  vereiment 
2550  Fut  del  aspresce  e  del  turment, 

E  humblement  li  martir  Crist 

En  la  confessiun  parmist 

E  al  darein  en  pacience, 

Resceust  la  capitale  sentence : 
2555  Qu^  eust  la  teste  copee 

E  bien  loinz  del  cors  desevree. 

[E]  le  cors  issi  destrenchie 

E  de  pilez  si  herice, 

Leisserent  iloques  sanz  fable, 
2560  Les  feluns  ministrals  al  diable. 

Ingar  li  felun,  li  tirant, 

Le  engres  larun,  le  suduiant, 

La  teste  del  martir  ad  portee, 

E  par  malice  loinz  gettee, 
2565  Bien  loinz  del  cors  en  un  buissun, 

Celeement  tut  cum  larun, 

En  un  rufflei  que  espes  esteit, 

Que  nul  avenir  ne  poeit, 

En  [mi]  le  bois  de  Hailesdun, 
2570  Kant  sen  alerent  li  felun 

Od  lur  grant  host,  de  la  contree. 

La  teste  unt  pur  ceo  desevree 

Loinz  del  cors :  que  ne  la  trovassent 

Cristiens,  ni  al  cors  lajustassent 
2 5 75  E  que  en  honeste  sepulture 

Ne  meissent  par  aventure, 

Le  chief  e  le  cors  ensement, 

Del  martir  Dieu  omnipotent. 
Un  hum  de  la  cristiene  lei 
2580  Ert  eschape  del  grant  desrei 

MS.  11.  2555,  out;  2556,  desevre;  2557,  Le  cors  (7  syl.);  2559,  iluc 
(7  syl.);  2564,  malisce  si  loinz  (9  syl.);  2567,  espesse;  2569,  En  le  (7 
syl.);  2573,  nel  (7  syl.);  2574,1a  iustassent;  2579,  home,  del,  lay; 
2580,  desray. 


132  LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND 

[E]  de  la  grant  occisiun; 

En  [mi]  le  bois  de  Hailesdun 

Se  esteit  pur  la  pour  muscie, 

E  en  un  rufflei  se  ert  fichie, 
25^5  Qui  Dieus  aveit  feit  eschaper, 

Pur  ceste  grant  chose  mustrer. 

Par  Dieu  e  par  sa  purveance 

Vist  il  trestute  la  feisance, 

E  bien  nota,  en  son  aguait, 
2590  Le  hidus  e  le  horible  feit 

Del  seint  martir,  del  rei  Edmund, 

Quanque  les  feluns  feit  li  unt; 

Les  granz  peines  e  le  turment, 

Trestut  le  vist  apertement. 
2595  Meis  del  chief,  puis  quil  le  colperent 

Ne  sout  cume  loinz  le  porterent; 

Meis  tant  vist  bien,  que  porte  lunt, 

Les  murdrers  ens  en  le  bois  parfunt 

E  puis  apres,  quant  pais  venue 
2600  Fu  as  eglises  e  rendue 

E  les  Cristiens  se  leverent 

De  plusurs  lius,  u  musciez  erent, 

Grant  ire  en  unt  e  grant  dolur, 

De  la  mort  lur  tres  cher  segnur. 
2605  Ententivement  demande 

En  unt  entre  els  la  verite 

Del  cors  e  del  chief  ensement, 

De  lur  segnur  dunt  sunt  dolent, 

Cum  il  les  purrunt  assembler ; 
2610  Kar  a  grant  honur  enterer 

Le  voldreient  a  lur  poeir ; 

Mult  le  desirerent  a  aveir. 
Kant  alez  furent  les  frarins, 

Les  feluns  murdrers  Sarazins, 
2615  En  lur  pais,  u  il  ainz  furent, 

MS.  11.  2581,  De  la  (7  syl.);  2582,  En  le  (7  syl.);  2596,  cum;  2604, 
morte. 


LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND  1 33 

Kant  vers  Engletere  sesmurent, 

E  les  Cristiens  revenuz 

Sunt,  qui  esteient  espanduz, 

Fuiz  e  musciez  e  repost, 
2620  Pur  Ingar,  e  [pur]  son  grant  host; 

Kant  il  se  sunt  aseure, 

Ensemble  se  sunt  asemble, 

Pur  quere  le  cors  e  le  chief, 

De  lur  segnur  dunt  lur  est  grief. 
2625  II  quierent  ententivement, 

E  si  troverent  errantment 

E  virent  le  cors  del  martir, 

Sanz  teste  a  la  tere  gesir ; 

En  meime  le  liu  lunt  trove 
2630  U  li  seint  rei  fu  decole, 

U  son  curs  aveit  acumpli 

E  del  tut  vencu  lenemi. 

Cels  dentur  qui  fuiz  esteient, 

E  merci  Dieu  uncore  viveient, 
2635  De  tutes  parz  i  aiinerent, 

E  corurent  e  asemblerent, 

Pur  la  remembrance  e  lamur 

Del  seint  rei,  de  lur  segnur. 

E  pur  la  pitie  des  bienfaiz, 
2640  E  des  granz  biens  quil  les  out  faiz, 

Comencerent  tuz  a  plurer, 

E  mult  grant  doel  a  demener ; 

Kant  il  nunt  le  chief  trove 

Od  le  cors,  mult  lur  ad  peise; 
2645  Mult  par  en  sunt  triste  e  dolent. 

Meis  Dampnedieus  omnipotent, 

Par  sa  halte  benignite. 

Les  ad  tost  en  quoers  espire, 

Quil  a  celi  demandereient, 
2650  E  mult  vivement  requereient, 

Kel  bois  fu  muscie  en  laguait. 

E  vist  tute  le  ovre  e  le  fait. 

MS.  11.  2620,  e  son  (7  syl.);  2639,  de;  2640  de;  2645,  tristes  (9  syl.)' 
2649,  demandeient,  2652,  tut. 


134  LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND 

Demande  lunt  e  si  enquis, 

E  il  les  dist  tut  son  avis, 
2655  De  mot  en  mot  trestut  les  dist 

[Tut]  ceo  quil  sout,  e  ceo  quil  vist, 

E  dit  bien  quil  vit  saieter 

Le  seint  martir,  e  puis  colper 

La  teste,  e  eels  qui  la  colperent 
2660  Oveke  els  el  bois  la  porterent; 

Bien  vit  que  els  issi  departirent, 

Meis  del  chief  ne  sout  quil  [puis]  firent, 

E  bien  sucha  en  son  cur  age, 

Ke  li  chief  remist  el  boscage. 
2665  La  gent  al  seint  quant  ceo  oirent, 

Par  [mi]  le  bois  se  departirent, 

Od  lur  maisnie  e  od  lur  forz, 

Od  cors  pur  quere  le  chief  del  cors ; 

Si  aveient  entrels  purparle, 
2670  Ke  cil  qui  eust  le  chief  trove, 

Haltement  son  cor  cornereit 

E  les  altres  apelereit. 

E  si  soucherent  bien  pur  veir, 

Cels  qui  erent  pur  le  chief  cerchir, 
2675  Ke  li  Sarazin  sudduiant 

Lur  fole  siwte  cultivant, 

Envie  aveient  de  nostre  lei, 

De  la  creance  e  de  la  fei ; 

Pur  ceo  aveient  le  chief  desevre, 
2680  [E]  loinz  del  cors  en  le  bois  porte, 

E  muscie  en  alcun  rufflei, 

En  buisun  u  en  genestei, 

U  reposte  la  seinte  teste 
Unt,  suz  alcune  vile  bleste, 
2685  U  gettee  pur  devorer, 

MS.  11.  2656,  Ceo  quil  (7  syl.);  seust;  2660,  Ovekes  (9  syl.);  2662, 
quil  firent  (7  syl.);  2665,  oyerent;  2666,  Par  le  bois  (7  syl.);  2667, 
maisnee  od  (7  syl.);  2668,  comes  (10  syl.);  2671,  come;  2677,  lay; 
2678,  fay;  2680,  Loinz  (7  syl.);  2681,  acun;  riffiei;  2684,  Aveient  (10 
syl.);   2685,  gette  (7  syl.). 


LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND  I35 

U  a  farein  u  a  senglier, 

Ke  Cristiens  ne  la  trovassent, 

Ni  al  seint  cors  [ne]  lasemblasent, 

Ne  a  ceo  feisent  enterement 
2690  Od  grant  honur  devotement. 

Les  Cristiens,  la  bone  gent, 

Funt  lur  primier  purposement; 

Par  la  selve  vunt  maintenant 

Amunt,  aval,  le  chief  querant, 
2695  Del  seintime  martir  Edmund. 

Querent  aval,  querent  amunt, 

Querent  en  buisun  e  en  broile. 

Desuz  branches,  e  desuz  foile, 

En  espesse  e  desuz  plaissie, 
2700  Partut  unt  quis,  partut  cerchie ; 

Tant  quen  tin  espes  espinei, 

Tut  enclos  dun  grant  runcerei, 

O'irent  une  voiz  lointeine 

Meis  nesteit  mie  halteine. 
2705  Oiez  miracle  e  grant  vertu  \ 

En  le  siecle  tel  oi  ne  fu : 

Le  chief,  del  cors  bien  loinz  sevre, 

Getta  voiz,  si  ad  parle 

Sanz  aie  e  sanz  matere 
2710  De  veine  u  de  nerf  u  dartere. 

Les  quereiirs,  quant  ceo  oi'rent, 

En  querant,  cele  part  tendirent, 

Pas  devant  pas,  partut  querant, 

E  tut  entur,  en  halt  criant : 
2715  "U  es  tun  chief,  martir,  seint  rei, 

La  plus  principale  part  de  tei  ? 

U  est,  u  est,  martir  Edmund?" 

La  langue  el  chief  dit  e  respund, 

Par  treis  feiz,  "Her,  her,  her!" 
2720  Unc  ceo  ne  fina  de  crier, 

MS.  11.  2688,  cors,  lasemblasent  (7  syl.);  2690,  devoutement.  2695, 
Seintim;  2697,  broil;  2698,  foil;  2701,  Tan;  2702,  runcei  (7  syl.); 
2703,  voice,  oyerent;  2712,  2716,  parte;  2718,  respound. 


136  LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND 

Sulum  le  language  as  Engleis; 

Ceo  est  a  dire  en  [language]  franceis: 

"Ici,  ici,  ici,"  ceo  dit. 

Issi  est  note  e  escrit. 
2725  Tuz  a  ceste  voiz  treiz  se  sunt  .      : 

Envirun,  puis  ke  veii  lunt. 

La  langue  morte  fiert  e  tuche 

As  denz  desuz,  a  overte  buche, 

Es  joes  de  la  morte  teste, 
2730  E  le  paleis  desus  sareste. 

Unkes  miracle  plus  verais, 

De  cest  ne  fut,  ni  ert  jamais. 

Neis  del  asne  Balaan 

Ke  parla  en  liu  de  Rechan, 
2735  Pur  la  folie  del  prophete, 

Qui  en  ceo  nesteit  pas  discrete. 

Cest  miracle,  ceste  feisance 

Otrea  Dieu,  en  sa  puissance, 

Qui  vit  e  regne  omnipotent, 
2740  Tut  dis  e  pardurablement, 

A  son  tres  pretiiis  ami, 

Ki  par  martire  deservi, 

E  par  turment  e  par  [sa]  peine, 

La  dulce  gloire  sovereine  (1)  Miraculum. 
2745  Li  formeiir  de  tut  le  mund. 

Le  pretiiis  martir  Edmund, 

De  un  altre  miracle  embeli; 

Fors  eel,  unc  tel  ne  fu  oi. 

La  gent  ki  si  feitement  virent. 
2750  La  teste  parler  e  oirent 

Aparceiirent  de  lez  la  teste 

Un  grant  lou,  une  fiere  beste, 

Ki  out  mis  amedeus  ses  powes, 

Des  deus  parz  le  chief,  lez  les  jowes; 
2755  Issi  out  le  chief  enbracie, 

MS.  11.  2721,  la;  2722,  en  franceis  (6  syl.);  2725,  voice,  2726,  vi; 
2728,  bouche;  2732,  ne  ert  (7  syl.);  2737,  cest;  2738,  e  sa;  2743,  par 
peine  (7  syl.);    2750,  oierent;  2752,  Une;  2754,  De. 

Note  (1).  In  red. 


LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND  I37 

Que  son  groin  aveit  apuie 

Sur  le  frunt,  mais  la  face  aperte 

Out,  e  la  buche  descoverte, 

Dunt  la  langue  uncore  moveit, 
2760  E  "her,  her,  her,"  sovent  diseit. 

Cil  lou  a  la  tere  se  just, 

Tut  en  pes,  ke  unkes  ne  se  must; 

E  a  tere  ses  geambes  teneit 

Le  seint  chief,  dunt  gardein  esteit, 
2765  Si  se  peina  del  chief  garder, 

Ke  unkes  nel  leissa  adeser 

A  beste  ni  a  altre  rien. 

Mult  par  le  garda  li  lou  bien; 

Sa  salvagesce  vereiment, 
2770  Sa  rage  e  son  devurement, 

Si  ublie  del  tut  esteit, 

Ke  a  rien  fors  al  chief  ne  entendeit. 

Cels  qui  virent  esbai  sunt; 

Cors  et  buisines  corne  unt ; 
2775  De  tutes  parz  i  acururent 

Tuz  eels  qui  entre  el  bois  furent. 

Cels  qui  cele  merveile  virent 

De  grant  maniere  se  esbairent 
Kant  la  gent  ert  tute  asemblee, 
2780  E  la  merveile  unt  esgardee, 

Lespes  runcerei  deslacierent, 

E  vers  le  seint  chief  se  aprochierent. 

Tost  se  leva  la  beste  fiere, 

Quant  ceo  vit,  si  treist  ariere, 
2785  E  cels  od  grant  devociiin, 

Od  chant  e  od  processiun, 

La  seinte  teste  quil  troverent, 

A  son  seintime  cors  porterent, 

E  li  lou  en  pres  els  veneit, 
2790  Pas  devant  pas,  pres  le  siweit, 

MS.  11.  2756,  apoue;  2759,  uncor;  2763,  chambes;  2767,  ne  (7 
syl.);  2770,  devourement ;  2771,  del  tut  en  tut  (10  syl.);  2774, 
Comes;    2777,  eel;    2778,  esbaierent;    2780,  le;    2788,  seintim. 


I38  LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND 

Triste  e  dolent  mult  en  sa  guise; 

Quil  unt  de  li  la  teste  prise, 

Dunt  il  esteit  mestre  e  gardein. 

La  fiere  beste,  li  farein, 
2795  Les  siut  apres,  bon  aleiire, 

Deske  al  liu  de  la  sepulture, 

Quil  unkes  home  ne  tucha 

Ni  ne  laidi  [ni]  ne  blecha. 

Meis  simplement  cum  un  aigniel, 
2800  Les  siut  apres  desqual  tumbel. 

Quant  il  out  [si]  grant  piece  este, 

E  en  sa  guise  doluse, 

Ariere  sen  vait  maintenant, 

Dreit^al  bois  u  il  fut  devant. 
2805  Mult  se  merveilerent  la  gent 

Del  lou  e  del  contenement ; 

Veient  que  ceo  ert  la  Dieu  vertu ; 

Ke  unke  mes  ne  aveient  veu 

Nul  si  fier  lou  en  lur  vivant, 
2810  Si  hidus,  si  fort  ne  si  grant. 

La  laie  gent  e  la  clergie 

Qui  aveit  quis  e  purchace 

Cele  tres  chere  margarite, 

Pretiuse,  entere  e  parfite, 
2815  Cel  tresor  [e]  eel  grant  honur, 

Le  seintim  cors  del  cher  segnur; 

Par  grant  entent  e  grant  queintise 

E  par  lasent  de  seinte  eglise, 

La  seinte  teste,  a  mielz  quil  sourent, 
2820  E  al  plus  bel  quil  unke  pourent 

Al  seintime  cors  ajusterent, 

E  devutement  aturnerent; 

E  la  char  e  la  pel  dehors 

Del  col  se  joinst  si  ferme  al  cors 

MS.  11.  2798,  ne  ne  laidi  ne  blecha  (7  syl.);  2800,  pres;  2801  out 
grant  piece  (7  syl.);  2804,  fust;  2815,  tresor  eel  (7  syl.);  honour; 
2816,  seint  (7  syl.);  segnour;  2819,  sorent;  2820,  porent;  2821, 
seintim,  iusterent;     2822,  devoutement;     2824,   si  oinst. 


LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND  1 39 

2825  Cum  il  fut  ainz  quant  il  vif  fu; 

Ceo  fu  miracle  e  grant  vertu. 

E  puis  apres  lensevelirent, 

E  sur  sa  tumbe  fere  firent 

Une  loge,  une  chapelette, 
2830  Ne  mie  grant,  meis  petitette, 

U  li  seint  reis,  de  Dieu  ame, 

Just  maint  an  puis  entere. 

A  cele  fez  ne  pourent  plus  fere, 

Pur  la  pour  del  aversaire, 
2835  Ingar,  dunt  sunt  espoiirez, 

Qui  mult  sovent  les  out  laidez. 
E  puis  quant  la  pes  vint  en  tere, 

E  aquaise  fu  la  grant  guere, 

E  la  tempeste  fu  remise, 
2840  E  pes  revint  a  seinte  eglise, 

E  le  poeple,  qui  espandu, 

E  partut  esparpilie  fu, 

Revindrent  a  possessions, 

E  as  teres  e  as  mansiuns ; 
2845  E  il  furent  aseure, 

Dune  se  sunt  entrels  purpense 

Del  corseint  del  martir  Edmund, 

Que  trop  longement  sufert  lunt 

E  trop  longement  lunt  leisse 
2850  Gisir  suz  si  povre  fie 

E  en  si  povre  meisonette, 

Si  estreite,  si  petitette. 

Ereer  en  volent  par  saveir, 

E  tut  altre  conseil  aveir. 
2855  Li  corseint  en  tel  povre  hostel, 

Seint  fu  [ja]  e  espiritel, 

Ki  de  la  main  Dieu  beneit  fu, 

Out  meint  an  en  tere  geii, 

MS.    11.    2926,  mracle;    2830,    petitete;     2831,  rei;    2833,    porent; 

2834,    aversiere;  2842,    esparplie;    2848,   logment;     2849,   longment, 

leisie;    2850  and  '51,    poure;    2852,  petitete;    2855,  poure;    2856,  fu  e 
(7syl.)-   " 


I40  LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND 

E  ki  pur  lanur  Jesus  Crist, 
2860  En  eel  liu  maint  miracle  fist, 

E  mainte  vertu  mult  sovent, 

Veant  le  poeple  e  la  gent ; 

Cume  de  avugles  alumer, 

E  de  meuz  rendre  le  parler, 
2865  E  cume  les  sourz  fere  car, 

E  devez  en  lur  sens  venir, 

E  des  contrez  rendre  le  aler, 

E  cume  langurus  saner. 

De  tutes  parz  i  acururent 
2870  Les  bones  genz  qui  entur  furent, 

Mult  par  i  aveit  grant  repaire, 

De  grant  gent  a  icele  afaire. 

La  rascaile  e  la  povre  gent 

Ni  vindrent  mie  soventement, 
2875  Meis  les  plus  riches  del  pais 

E  qui  plus  erent  poestis, 

Cum  evesques  e  cum  abez 

E  cume  plusurs  ordenez, 

Cuntes,  baruns  e  chivalers, 
2880  E  bacheliers  e  esquiers, 

Citeeins,  burgeis  e  paisanz, 

Riches,  povers,  petiz  e  granz, 

I  soleient  mult  repairer, 

E  od  lur  lumere  esveiler. 
2885  Ses  homes  qui  encore  viveient, 

E  quen  lur  remembrance  aveient 

E  lamur  e  la  companie 

De  li,  e  de  sa  segnurie, 

La  dulceiir  e  les  granz  buntez 
2890  Quil  out  feit  [en] vers  ses  privez, 

Mistrent  en  quoer  e  en  corage, 

Que  voelent  de  tel  liu  salvage 

MS.  11.  2863,  cum  de  avougles;  2865,  oyer;  2866,  vener;  2868, 
cum;  2870,  bone,  que  entur  (7  syl.);  2872,  icel  a  faire;  2873,  poure; 
2874,  sovenerement  (10  syl.);  2878,  cum;  2884,  lumer;  2890,  vers  (7 
syl.);   2891,  Les  mist  en  quoer  (9  syl.) 


LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND  I4I 

Hoster  le  seint  cors  lur  segnur, 

E  aliurs  mettre,  a  grant  honur. 
2895  Tant  unt  cerchie  par  le  pais, 

Tant  unt  demande  e  enquis, 

Quil  unt  trove  liu  acceptable, 

E  bel  e  bon  e  covenable, 

En  une  grant  vile  reale 
2900  Ki  riche  ert  e  emperiale, 

Bederiches  Worthe  nomee, 

De  Bederiz  qui  lout  fundee, 

Un  riche  rei,  qui  la  funda, 

E  de  sun  nun,  nun  li  dona; 
2905  Bederiches  Worthe  en  engleis, 

La  curt  Bederiz  est  en  franceis. 

[Si]  est  dite  e  entrepretee, 

De  Bederiz  qui  lout  fundee. 
Quant  il  unt  choisi  e  eslit 
2910  Le  seint  liu  e  le  seint  habit, 

U  il  voleient  lur  segnur 

Herbergier  od  mult  grant  honur; 

Dune  unt  [tant]  quis  e  purchacie, 

Quil  unt  fmablement  cungie 
2915  Des  segnurages  de  eel  flu, 

De  faire  en  icel  mesme  liu, 

Bele  chapele  u  bel  muster, 

U  devutement  herberger 

Pussent  lur  seintime  segnur, 
2920  Od  grant  glorie,  od  grant  honur. 

Cels  ne  voldrent  pas  demurer, 

Ainz  funt  errantment  aturner 

Une  grant  eglise  de  fust, 

U  li  treseintim  martir  just. 
2925  Mult  par  la  fir  en  t  bele  e  grant 

E  mult  bien  feite  e  avenant, 

De  merveiluse  entablement, 

MS.  11.  2899,  real;  2900,  ert  emperial  (7  syl.);  2904,  noun  (bis); 
2906,  curte;  2907,  Est  dite  (7  syl.),  2913,  Unt  quis  (7  syl.);^  2914, 
finement   (7  syl.);   2918,  devoutement ;   2926,  Mult  bien  feit. 


142  LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND 

E  de  mult  riche  entailement. 

Mult  valt  mielz  que  feire  muster 
2930  Ki  fut  de  piere  e  de  mortier. 

La  eglise  ert  bele  a  demesure, 

E  de  si  tres  bele  feiture, 

Ke  unkes  hum  [jesquja  eel  jur, 

Nen  aveit  veu  beleisur. 
2935  Mult  fu  par  grant  engin  overee, 

E  quant  ele  fu  par  aprestee, 

Que  nule  rien  ni  out  a  feire, 

Dune  se  mistrent  en  lur  repaire; 

Que  par  sentier,  que  par  chariere, 
2940  A  Hailesdun  vindrent  ariere. 

Si  unt  al  poeple  recunte, 

Coment  il  unt  feit  e  ovre, 

E  quil  unt  leglise  aprestee, 

Mult  bele  e  grant  e  longe  e  lee ; 
2945  E  avenant  de  mult  grant  guise, 

Unk  hum  ne  vit  si  bele  eglise 

De  fust,  fors  sulement  iceste. 

De  herberger  est  tute  preste 

Le  corseint  Edmund  le  martir. 
2950  Ore  le  funt  tost  defuir. 

Cels  unt  tost  la  clergie  mande, 

E  les  plus  sages  del  regne, 

E  quant  il  tuz  asemble  sunt, 

Le  seint  cors  del  martir  Edmund, 
2955  Funt  ignielement  defuir. 

Puis  pristrent  le  cors  del  martir. 

Od  la  case  u  il  [dune]  giseit 

[E]  u  il  primes  mis  esteit; 

Stir  une  biere  hint  puis  mis, 
2960  E  sagement  e  bien  asis, 

Diloc  porterent  le  barun 

MS.  11.  2933,  home  a  eel  jour  (7  syl.);  2934,  Ne  aveit  (7  syl.);  2939, 
sentiere;  2943,  apreste;  2944,  long  e  le  (7  syl.);  2946,  Unkes  home 
ne  veit  (9  syl.);  2948,  tut  (7  syl.);  2950,  feites;  2952.  regnee;  2957, 
il  giseit  (7  syl.);    2958,  Ou  il  (7  syl.). 


LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND  I43 

Od  joie  e  od  processiiin, 

Vers  Bederiches  Worthe  dreit, 

Errent  e  vunt  a  grant  espleit 
2965  Mult  i  vint  gent  e  poeple  grant; 

Clerc  e  chivaler  e  paisant 

Cuntre  le  corseint  sunt  ale, 

E  la  clergie  de  la  cite, 

E  chivaler,  clerc  e  citein, 
2970  De  la  cite  isirent  a  plein, 

Od  processiiin  e  od  chant, 

Mult  par  en  unt  eels  joie  grant, 

Quil  unt  tel  tresor  conqueste; 

Trestuz  en  unt  Dieu  mercie. 
2975  En  la  cite  entre  en  sunt, 

Od  le  corseint  que  mene  unt 

Dreit  al  liu  que  apreste  esteit, 

U  le  corseint  gisir  deveit, 

La  case  u  il  primes  mis  fu, 
2980  En  quele  meint  an  aveit  geu, 

Desjointe  unt  e  desserree; 

Une  altre  case  unt  aprestee 

De  un  estrange  fust  pretiiis, 

U  li  corseint  e  gloriiis 
2985  Voleient  mettre  cum  iert  dreit, 

E  cum  Dieus  purveii  le  aveit. 
Kant  la  vieile  case  unt  descloee, 

E  desjointe  e  deserree, 

Le  cors  seint  unt  deseveli ; 
2990  Kar  trover  le  quident  purri, 

De  ceo  que  longment  geu  out 

En  tere,  sicum  a  Dieu  plout. 

Quant  tant'  i  out  este  enclos, 

Ne  quident  trover  fors  les  os. 
2995  Oiez  miracle  e  grant  vertu ! 

II  unt  esgarde  e  veii, 

MS.  11.  2963,  baderiches,  dreite;  2964,  Eirent;  2968,  Tute  la  (10  syl.); 
2970,  iserent;  2980,  giu;  2983-4,  pretiuse;  gloriuse;  2985,  volent 
(7  syl.);    2987,  vielz;    2988,  desjoint;    2991-92,  ust;    plust. 


144  LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND 

E  trovent  le  corseint  si  sein, 

Sanz  plaie,  si  bel  e  si  plein, 

Des  granz  plaies  quil  resceust 
3000  Que  blesceure  ni  aparust. 

Par  eles  memes  sunt  sanees 

Les  granz  plaies  demesurees; 

E  la  u  le  chief  culpe  ert 

Cum  un  filet  vermeil  apert, 
3005  Ke  tut  entur  le  col  li  gist ; 

Ceste  vertu  fist  Jesu  Crist 

Pur  son  dru  qui  est  de  li  amez, 

E  puis  altres  vertuz  assez. 

II  unt  le  corseint  aturne 
3010  Mult  richement  e  aurne, 

E  hors  de  la  viel  case  pris, 

E  en  la  novele  lunt  mis 

E  en  le  plus  bel  liu  del  eglise, 
Od  halt  chant  e  od  grant  servise, 
3015  Le  mistrent  mult  devutement, 

Cum  a  si  grant  tresor  apent. 
E  la  case  de  serreiires 
Bones  e  fortes  e  seiires 
Lenserrent,  e  as  clercs  livrerent, 
3020  A  seinte  gent  qui  dignes  erent 

De  garder  si  riche  tresor, 
Qui  mult  valt  mielz  que  argent  u  or. 
Si  fu  li  seint  cent  ans  e  dis, 
En  char  e  os,  cum  il  fu  vifs ; 
3025  E  les  gardeins  ki  le  garderent, 

Plusurs  feiz  en  Ian  le  visiterent, 
E  quant  il  overirent  la  biere, 
Si  virent  quil  out  plus  vive  chiere, 
E  le  vis  plus  cler  e  rovent 
3030  Ke  nul  damisel  de  juvent; 

[E]  virent  que  ses  cheveuz  furent 

MS.  11.  2997,  troevent;  3003,  Culpee;  3004,  vermeile  i  pert; [J3006, 
cest;  3012,  chant  od  (7  syl.);  3015,  devoutement;  3017,  serrures; 
3022,  milz;   3030,  nule  damisele;   3031,  Viren  (7  syl.). 


LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND  145 

Creiiz,  e  que  ses  ongles  crurent, 

E  de  ses  piez  e  de  ses  mains, 

Sicum  il  fu  vifs  e  tut  sains. 
3035  Entre  ces  seints  gardeins  aveit 

Une  dame,  nonain  esteit, 

Seinte  feme,  e  de  grant  maniere 

Religiuse  e  almonere, 

En  Junes  e  en  oreisuns, 
3040  [En]  prieres  e  afflictiuns 

Esteit  icele  e  nut  e  jur, 

Entur  la  fertre  al  seint  segnur; 

Ceste  dame  dunt  vus  ai  dit, 

Par  la  grace  Seint  Espirit, 
3045  En  prist  mult  grant  hardiement ; 

Dieu  la  fist  feire,  omnipotent, 

Pur  sa  demustreisun  demeine. 

La  dame  se  mist  en  grant  peine 

De  honurer  tuz  jurs  le  cors  seint, 
3050  De  li  servir  pas  ne  se  feint. 

Nel  teneit  a  peine  ne  ahan; 

Kar  mult  sovent  feiz  en  Ian 

La  fertre  overi,  si  li  peigna 

Les  cheveuz,  e  puis  [les]  roina; 
3055  E  ses  ungles  tut  ensement 

Reculpa  ele  mult  sovent,  \ 

En  une  chere  case  mist  \ . 

Les  retailes  quele  en  prist, 

Ke  desque  a  cest  jur  sunt  gardeez, 
3060  E  cum  relikes  honureez 

En  leglise  de  Seint  Edmund, 

U  cherement  gardees  sunt. 

De  cest  mester  tuz  jurs  servit 

La  dame  tant  cume  vesquit, 
3065  Ke  mulz  anz  vesquit  e  mulz  jurs, 

MS.  11.  3034,  vif;  3037,  seintes;  3040,  Prieres  (7  syl.);  3041,  cele 
e  nute  e  iour  (7  syl.);  3042,  le,  segnour;  3045,  hardement  (7  syl); 
3047,  Par;  3049,  iour,  3053,  Le  fertre;  3054,  puis  royna  (7  syl); 
3059,  iour;  3062,  gardes  (7  syl.);  3063,  iours;  3064,  cum;  3065, 
multz   (bis),  vesqui. 


I46  LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND 

Plus  que  ne  f unt  ore  plusurs ; 

Dune  viveient  plus  longement 

Dasez,  que  ore  ne  funt  la  gent. 

Oswen  ert  la  dame  nomee, 
3070  Seinte  dame,  sage  e  membre  ( 1 )  miraclm. 

Un  evesque,  Theodred  out  nun, 

Seint  hum,  de  grand  religiun 

Evesques  ert  de  la  cuntree. 

Oiez  cum  Dieus  li  ad  mustree 
3075  Par  sa  grace  la  verite, 

Cum  nus  avum  desus  cunte, 

De  Seint  Edmund,  le  bon  barun, 

Ki  enter  gist  sanz  coruptiun, 

Tut  enterins  en  char,  en  os. 
3080  En  sa  seintime  case  enclos, 

Od  bele  chere  e  od  cler  vis, 

Cum  il  fu  encore  tut  vifs. 

En  tele  manere  le  pruva 

Li  evesques  ki  Dieu  ama, 
3085  Cume  vus  purrez  ore  oir : 

A  la  fertre  del  seint  martir 

Veneient  gent  de  meinte  tere, 

Pur  Dieu  e  pur  le  seint  requere, 

E  reis  e  cuntes  e  baruns, 
3090  I  veneient  en  oreisuns 

[E]  offrirent  mulz  belbelez, 

Nusches  dor,  bos  dor  e  anelez, 

Harpuns  dor,  preciuses  pieres, 

Besanz  e  margarites  cheres, 
3095  Dunt  la  fertre  de  Seint  Edmund 

Est  la  plus  riche  de  cest  mund. 

De  tutes  parz  i  vindrent  gent : 

Tel  offri  or,  e  tel  argent; 

MS.  11.  3068,  Desez;  3070,  membre;  3071,  noun;  3072,  home; 
3073,  Evesque  (7  syl.);  3081,  chiere;  3085,  cum;  3086,  al  fertre 
(7  syl.);  3087,  Venirent,  meint  (7  syl.);  3091,  Offrirent  (7  syl.); 
3095,  le    fertre;  3096,  le. 

Note  (1):  Underlined  word  in  red. 


LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND  I47 

De  plusurs  riches  regiuns 
3100  I  vindrent  genz  en  oreisuns. 

Mult  par  lur  veneient  grant  aport 

Del  Suth,  del  West,  del  Est,  del  Nort. 

De  tutes  parz  i  vendrent  gent, 

Riches,  povres  comunalment, 
3105  Ki  les  aportouent  le  bien. 

Richert  le  liu,  sur  tute  rien. 

Oient  laruns,  pleins  de  felonie; 

Del  riche  liu  aveient  envie. 

Feluns  erent  en  tutes  guises, 
31 10  Murdrers  e  frussiers  deglises. 

De  tutes  maneres  de  mals 

Furent  mestres  icels  vassals. 

II  aveient  entrels  machine 

E  conseile  e  purpalle, 
3 1 1 5  Ke  leglise  despecerunt, 

E  tut  le  tresor  emblerunt, 

Quanque  enclos  ert  del  cimitire, 

Ki  rien  nen  avera  adire. 

II  se  sunt  mult  tost  apreste 
3120  E  a  cele  rage  aturne. 

Une  nut  que  fu  mult  oscure, 

Vindrent  il,  tut  bald-e-seiire, 

Quant  la  gent  furent  en  repos, 

Si  se  mistrent  tost  en  le  clos 
3125  Del  eglise  de  Seint  Edmund. 

E  puis  tost  al  muster  sen  vunt 

Od  lur  engeins  od  lur  ustilz, 

Dunt  il  furent  duiz  e  sutilz, 

Desquels  il  unt  oes,  a  parfeire, 
3130  Li  larecin  e  le  cuntreire. 

Kant  al  muster  furent  venu, 

Si  sefforcent  par  grant  vertu, 

Trestuz,  del  eglise  enfundrer; 
'  *     Li  un  prent  seschiele  a  drescier 

MS.  11.  3104,  poures;    3105,  aportoient;   3112,  eels  (7   syl.);   3121, 
nute;   3122,  baldesure  (7  syl.);    3129,  oels;  3130,  larcin  (7  syl.). 


I48  LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND 

3135  Sus  a  la  parei  del  muster, 

Seurement  sanz  encumbrer, 

Quil  se  mette  par  la  fenestre 

En  le  muster  u  voleit  estre; 

Li  altre,  od  sa  lime  dure, 
3140  Lime  del  uis  la  serreiire, 

E  trenche  les  clous  u  se  tient; 

Li  altre  od  son  martel  i  vient 

E  se  peine  de  martelier, 

Kar  le  uis  [il]  volt  descloer. 
3145  Li  altre  od  besques  e  picois, 

Quil  unt  afeitiez  a  lur  chois, 

Suffoent  entur  la  parei ; 

Chescun  se  peine,  endreit  sei, 

De  cele  ovregne  parfurnir, 
3150  Kar  a  chief  en  quident  venir. 

Sicum  il  sunt  en  lur  estal 

Partie  amunt,  partie  aval, 

Tut  a  lur  mester  entendant, 

Tel  abaisie,  tel  en  estant, 
3155  Les  lia  Dieus  e  le  martir, 

Ke  nul  dels  ne  se  pout  partir, 

Ne  li  curbe  ne  pout  drescier, 

Ne  cil  en  estant  abaisier ; 

Quil  ne  se  pourent  remuer, 
3160  Desqual  matin,  que  jur  fu  cler. 

Cele  nut  just  un  mariner 

Ki  sonout  les  seins  en  le  muster, 

Qui  tut  oit  cest  batestal 

Ke  feseient  amunt,  aval, 
3165  Meis  pur  lamur  del  seint  martir 

Le  fist  Dieus  si  en  pes  gesir, 

Kil  ne  poiist  del  liu  lever 

Ne  mot  dire,  ne  mot  soner, 

MS.  11.  3135,  al  parei;  3138,  la  ou  il  (9  syl.);  3140,  serrure;  314a. 
Laltre  (7  syl.);  3144.  le  us  volt  descloer  (7  syl.);  3145.  picois,  3149. 
overegne  (9  syl.);  3 151,  curb;  3160,  clier;  3164,  feseit  amunt  e  aval; 
3167   pout  (7  syl.). 


LA   VIE    SEINT    EDMUND  I49 

Desqual  demain  quil  fu  cler  jur 
3170  Ke  la  gent  vindrent  dentur, 

Qui  unt  apertement  veii 

Cel  miracle,  e  cele  vertu, 

Des  laruns  qui  si  sunt  lie 

En  la  ovre  que  aveient  comence 
3175  Diloc  les  unt  ostez  e  pris, 

En  fierges  e  en  prisun  mis ; 

Puis  furent  par  le  vengement 

Del  seint  evesque  vereiment, 

Theodred,  mis  tuz  a  la  hart, 
3180  Ki  puis  sen  repentit  trop  tart, 

Quil  les  out  si  a  mort  juge ; 

Dolent  en  fu  e  corusce, 

Kar  a  grant  peche  le  teneit 

Quil  issi  les  juge  aveit. 
3185  [Kar]  si  sen  fust  einz  purpense, 

Ne  les  oust  pas  a  mort  livere. 

Ne  pensa  pas  kant  il  ceo  fist, 

Ke  Dieus  par  le  prophete  dist : 

"Del  deliverer  ja  ne  cessez, 
3190  Cels  qui  sunt  a  la  mort  jugez." 

Si  les  dit  del  prophete  Dieu, 

Kum  apele  Eliseu, 

Ke  garist  e  remist  a  la  vie 

Les  laruncels  de  Samarie, 
3195  E  pain  e  ewe  les  dona, 

E  en  lur  pais  enveia, 

E  defendit  le  rei  e  dist 

Quil  pas  a  mort  ne  les  me'ist. 
Pur  la  quele  chose  cest  produm, 
3200  Cist  evesque  dunt  dit  avum, 

Quant  il  se  fut  repurpense, 

Mult  fu  dolent  e  trespense, 

De  ceo  quil  out  fet  des  laruns. 

MS.  11.  3169, iour;  3170,  dentour;  3171,  apertemen;  3i72,verteu;  3173, 
De  laruns;  3175,  Deloques  (9  syl.);  3185,  Si  sen  fust  (7  syl.);  3186, 
morte;3i93,Ki;  3195,  euwe;  3198,  morte,  mist  (7  syl.);  3199,  prodome. 


I50  LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND 

Mult  en  fut  dolent  e  enbruns, 
3205  E  penitence  gref  en  prist, 

E  merci  Dieu,  bien  la  parfist. 

Pur  ceo  se  mist  en  granz  dolurs, 

Longtens  en  oreisuns  e  plurs, 

E  par  mult  grant  compunctiun, 
3210  Pria  Dampnedieu  de  pardun. 

Kant  parfeite  out  sa  penitence, 

Si  manda  par  grant  patience, 

Par  sa  eveschie  tut  envirun 

Que  tute  la  gent  abandun, 
3215  A  pain  e  a  ewe  jeiinasent, 

E  Dieu  nostre  segnur  priasent 

Treis  jurs  en  langes  e  nu  piez, 

Ke  Dieus  li  pardoint  ses  pechiez, 

E  li  otreit,  par  son  pleisir, 
3220  Quil  puse  le  cors  del  martir 

Veeir  e  de  [ses]  mains  manier, 

Sil  gist,  sicum  hum  dit,  entier. 

E  il  si  feseient  entreset. 

Kant  aveient  la  June  fet; 
3225  A  la  chase  vienent  tut  dreit, 

U  li  ber  Seint  Edmund  giseit. 
Li  evesque  chiet  a  genuliuns 

Devant  la  chase  en  oreisuns ; 

Kant  aveit  oure  e  prie, 
3230  A  la  chase  se  est  aprochie. 

La  chase  prist  tost  a  overir, 

E  le  corseint  a  descoverir. 

Le  cors  trova  e  sein  e  bel, 

E  si  enterine  la  pel, 
3235  E  issi  clere  la  faceun, 

Frunt  e  vis  e  nes  e  mentun, 

E  piez  e  meins,  e  ventre  e  dos, 

MS.  11.  3207,  E  pur  ceo  (9  syl.);  dolours;  3208,  pi  ours;  ^213, 
eveschie  envirun  (7  syl);  3215,  e  euwe  (7  syl.);  3216,  E  nostre  (7 
syl.);  3218,  pardunt;  3221,  de  mains  (7  syl.);  3222,  home;  3229,  ore, 
3236,  Funt,  neis. 


LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND  I5I 

Od  char  serree  sur  les  os, 

Cum  il  [ainz]  fu,  quant  il  fu  vifs, 
3240  E  en  cest  siecle  poestifs. 

E  la  char  trova  si  entiere 

Cum  nus  avum  dit  cea  en  ariere, 

Ke  unkes  blesceure  ni  parut 

Des  granz  plaies  quil  ainz  resceut, 
3245  Li  evesque,  qui  produm  fu, 

Sicum  Dieus  laveit  purveu, 

Le  seint  cors  de  ses  mains  lava, 

E  le  vestit  e  le  aiirna 

Des  dras  de  seie  de  ultre  mer, 
3250  Des  plus  chiers  quil  poiist  trover. 

E  puis  en  une  chase  chere, 

Ki  ert  de  plus  riche  manere 

Que  laltre  fu,  u  il  ainz  just, 

Lenseveli,  si  cum  il  dust; 
3255  Benesquirant  Dieu,  en  loant 

Le  seintime  rei,  tut  puisant, 

Qui  en  ses  seinz  est  merveilus, 

E  en  ses  ovres  gloxius, 

E  vit  e  regne,  Dieus  e  sires, 
3260  Par  tut  secies,  par  tuz  empires.     Amen. 

(1)     Translate  avum  laventure 

Solum  le  livre  e  lescripture, 

De  Seint  Edmund  coment  il  vint 

En  Engletere  quil  puis  tint, 
3265  Dunt  rei  fu,  tant  cum  il  vesquit ; 

E  del  martire  quil  suffrit. 

Translate  lai  desque  a  la  fin, 

E  del  engleis  e  del  latin, 

Que  en  franceis  le  poent  entendre, 
3270  E  [tut]  li  grant,  e  [tut]  li  mendre. 

MS.  11.  3239,  il  fu  (7  syl.);  3241,  chare;  3242,  ceanariere;  3245, 
proz  home;  3249,  sei;  3250,  pout;  3252,  Ke  (7  syl.);  3255,  Ben- 
esquierent;  3256,  seintim;  3259,  rengne;  3266,  martir  (7  syl.);  3270, 
E  le  grant  e  li  mendre  (6  syl.). 

Note  (1)  Here  begins  the  second  division  of  the  poem,  called  the 
"Miracles  of  Seint  Edmund." 


IS2  LA   VIE    SEINT    EDMUND 

Uncore  volum  avant  aler, 

E  les  granz  miracles  cunter, 

Que  nostre  sire,  Jesus  Crist, 

Pur  samur  mustra  e  fist. 
3275  Dit  en  ai  [une]  grant  partie, 

En  sun  martire  e  en  sa  vie; 

Meis  ore  vus  dirrai  la  summe. 

Nel  tient  pas  a  fais,  ne  a  grant  summe 

Denis  Piramus,  kil  translate; 
3280  Nel  tient  pas  a  fais  ne  a  baratte. 

Li  Seint  Espirit  me  doint  grace, 

Que  jeo  resnablement  la  face. 

E  gre  me  sache  de  ma  peine ; 

E  Dieus  e  Seint  Edmund  demeine, 
3285  E  del  eglise  li  segnur, 

Ki  me  unt  enchargie  cest  labur! 

Del  primer  tens  que  Dieus  forma 

Le  mund,  e  le  secle  estora, 

I  out  cinq  mil  anz  par  dreit  numbre 
3290  Desqual  tenz  que  Dieus  en  umbre. 

Fu  en  la  virgine  Marie, 

Pur  nus  getter  de  mort  a  vie;    (l)La  ^e de  la'pas- 
0  ,  siun  Seint  Edmund 

E  de  eel  tens,  sanz  mesprisun, 

Desqual  martire  Seint  Edmun, 
3295  Uit  cenz  anz  e  ceisant  e  dis. 

Issi  le  avum  en  livre  apris, 

E  lescripture  le  nus  dit, 

Ki  lestre  Seint  Edmund  descrit. 

Li  seint  florist  en  ceste  vie 
3300  Cume  larbre  que  fructefie, 

E  gette  e  porte  beles  flurs, 

Dunt  ist  la  tres  dulce  flairurs. 


MS.  11.  3275,  ai  grant  partie  (6  syl.);  3277  and  9,  sume;  3279,  ad 
translate  (10  syl.);  3280,  tint;  3281,  seit  grace;  3282,  renablement ; 
3283, '  sace;  3292,  morte;  3295,  seysant;  3297  lescriptur;  3300, 
cum. 

Note  (1);  Side-note  in  black-face  type  is  in  red 


LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND  1 53 

Buche  de  home  ne  poet  descrire. 

Kantes  vertuz,  Dieu  nostre  sire, 
3305  Pur  le  seint  martir  anceis  fist 

Quil  venist  la  u  ore  gist. 

Meinte  clarete  i  virent  tuit, 

Kant  plus  oscure  fu  la  nuit. 

La  clarte  nert  pas  mainoveree 
3310  Dengin  de  home,  ne  aurnee; 

Ainz  ert  espirital  lumere, 

Ke  veneit  de  seinte  manere, 

Cume  granz  rais  del  ciel  amunt 

De  sur  la  tumbe  Seint  Edmund. 
3315  Ceo  en  est  la  signifiance: 

Que  Jesu  par  sa  grant  puissance 

Li  ad  en  son  regne  aleve, 

En  sa  pardurable  clarete. 
Veirement  il  avint  issi, 
3320  Cum  escrit  est  e  jeo  vus  di, 

Que  apres  que  Seint  Edmund  li  ber, 

Dunt  vus  me  oiez  ci  cunter, 

Suffrit  e  mort  e  passiiin, 

Pur  lamur  Dieu,  e  pur  sun  nun, 
3325  Que  de  Engletere  les  parties 

Teneient  plusurs  segnuries, 

E  mulz  plusurs  reis  i  aveient 

Lur  realmes  quil  [i]  teneient, 

Plus  quil  ni  out  avant  ne  apres; 
3330  Meis  Estangle  trestut  ades 

Ert  sanz  rei,  e  sanz  chief  segnur. 

Que  de  tuz  les  pais  de  entur 

Ni  out  grant,  ne  meien,  ne  mendre, 

Qui  osast  segnurie  en  prendre 
3335  Sur  la  tere  al  seintime  rei ; 

Nul  nen  osa  prendre  sur  sei. 

De  grant  manere  le  duterent, 

MS.  11/ 3303,  Bouche;  3304,  Kant;  3320,  jeo  le  vus  (9  syl.);  3323. 
morte;  3324,  noun;  3328,  quil  teneient  (7  syl.);  3333,  maien;  3333, 
seintim;  3337,  douterent. 


154  LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND 

Kar  en  lur  curages  noterent, 

Que  bien  deit  estre  e  reis  e  sire 
3340  Del  pais  u  suflrit  martire. 

Kar  mult  len  aveit  deservi 

Vers  Dampnedieu,  e  bien  meri, 

Que  nuls  reis  charnel  poeste 

Oust  sur  li,  en  son  regne.     ( 1 )  Miraculum. 
3345  En  eel  contemple  i  aveit 

Un  rei  qui  mult  produm  esteit 

En  Westsex  fu  son  regne, 

E  si  ert  Eadred  appele. 

En  son  tens  Christiente  fu 
3350  Bien  enhalcie  e  meintenu 

Partut  Engletere  envirun, 

Fors  sul  en  la  tere  al  barun, 

Seint  Edmund ;  la  fu  esquaisie, 

E  de  grant  manere  abaisie 
3355  Par  Daneis,  qui  i  converserent, 

Qui  apres  Ingar  remis  erent, 

E  cele  folur  quil  maintindrent, 

Quil  pur  sen  en  lur  guise  tindrent, 

Par  tut  Engletere  voleient 
3360  Fere  errer  si  il  [le]  poeient. 

Meis  Eadred,  li  reis  dreiturers, 

Ki  mult  esteit  bons  chivalers, 

Les  abaisa  de  lur  folur 

E  [si]  les  fist  meint  deshonur. 
3365  Quant  Daneis  od  lur  grant  acost, 

Sur  li  veneient  od  lur  ost, 

Soventes  feiz  pur  guerreier, 

Tuz  jurs  fu  lur  li  encombrier, 

Li  reis  Eadred  pas  ne  les  ama, 
3370  Meint  en  occist  e  meint  tua, 

MS.  11.  3343,  nul;  3344,  regnee;  3347.  regnee;  3350,  eshalcie;  335^, 
remis  i  erent  (9  syl.);  3360,  si  il  poeient  (7  syl.);  3362,  bon;  3364,  E 
les  fist  (7  syl.);  3367,  Sovent,  guerreer  (7  syl.);  3368,  encombreer; 
3369,  rei. 

Note  (1)  Miraculum  underlined  in  red. 


LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND  155 

E  meint  fist  en  vie  escorchier, 

E  meint  ardeir,  e  meint  neier, 

E  meint  fist  les  membres  cuper ; 

Kar  unkes  jur  ne  les  pout  amer. 
3375  Mult  par  hait  lur  veisinage; 

Unkes  ni  vindrent  sanz  damage. 

Ceste  bataile  e  cest  ahans 

Dura  entrels  entur  cinq  anz, 

Que  unkes  li  felun  vassal 
3380  Ne  pourent  tenir  nul  estal 

Cuntre  Eadred  le  rei  hardi 

Ki  sur  tute  rien  les  hai, 

[E]  ki  tuz  jurs  les  descomfist, 

Kar  mult  ferement  les  requist. 
33^5  Quant  les  Daneis,  serfs  al  malfe, 

Veient  e  se  sunt  purpense, 

Quil  ne  pourent  plus  mal  feire 

En  la  tere,  ne  plus  contrere, 

En  mer  entrent  od  lur  navie, 
3390  Si  vunt  siglant  vers  Normandie; 

Cum  il  ainz  pourent,  ariverent, 

E  par  mi  la  tere  en  passerent 

De  Normandie  tut  defrunt. 

Tant  unt  erre  que  venu  sunt 
3395  En  France,  dreit  devant  Paris. 

Si  unt  entrels  lur  conseil  pris, 

Ke  la  cite  par  force  prendre 

Voelent,  sil  ne  se  voelent  rendre 

A  els,  e  feire  les  homages, 
3400  E  rendre  chescun  an  chevage. 

Meis  Charles  li  Chalf,  qui  reis  fu 

De  France,  est  tost  contrels  venu 

Od  ses  Franceis,  e  od  sa  gent, 

E  les  descomfist  errantment, 
3405  Si  les  fist  fuir  e  turner 

MS.  H.  3372,  neer;  3374,  iour;  3377,  Cest  bataile*(7  syl.);  cist 
haanz;  3380,  porent;  3382,  tut;  3383,  Ki  tuz  iours  (7  syl.);  3387, 
porent;    3393,  le  frunt;    3401,  le  chalf;    3402,  contrels,  r  interlined. 


15^  LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND 

Od  hue  leve,  envers  la  mer ; 

Mulz  en  occistrent  en  fuant 

Li  chivaler  e  li  servant ; 

Mulz  en  i  out  nafrez  a  mort, 
3410  Ainz  quil  revenisent  a  port, 

U  il  ariverent  enceis. 

Tant  les  menerent  li  Franceis 

Que  mulz  en  unt  nafrez  e  pris. 

Par  force  les  unt  en  [lur]  nefs  mis; 
3415  E  Charles  li  Chalf  od  sa  gent 

Reveit  en  France  errantement; 

E  les  Daneis  mult  tost  lur  nefs 

Aprestent,  e  levent  lur  trefs, 

Cum  ainz  pourent  a  rive  vindrent, 
3420  Unk  puis  en  France  ne  revindrent, 

Les  cols  de  France  tant  doterent, 

Ki  fierement  les  encontrerent. 
Li  Daneis,  li  Dieu  enemi, 

Sen  vunt  en  halte  mer  fui ; 
3425  Encore  ne  voleient  pas  cessier 

De  lur  grant  rage  demener; 

Ainz  cuillerent  errantement 

Grant  companie  e  mult  grant  gent, 

Mult  greindre  quil  naveient  enceis 
3430  Quant  les  descomfistrent  Franceis. 

Si  alerent  de  tere  en  tere, 

Ardant,  robant,  feisant  grant  guere, 

E  quanquil  surmonter  poeient, 

De  fiere  mort  morir  feseient. 
3435  Les  feluns  Daneis,  la  gent  sote, 

Demenerent  ceste  riote, 

Tant  que  derechief  returnerent 

Vers  Engletere,  e  ariverent; 

Kar  il  voleient  Engletere 

MS.  11.  ;  3406,  vers  (7  syl.);  3410,  venisent  (7  syl.);  3414,  en 
ncfes;  3415,  le;  3416,  errantment  (7  syl);  3417,  nefes;  3418,  trefes; 
3420,  Unkes  (9  syl.);  3427,  errantment  (7  syl.);  3431.  morte  3437. 
derichief. 


LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND  1 57 

3440  E  asailir  e  [si]  conquere 

De  un  rei,  Alure  aveit  nun, 

Frere  fu  Eadred,  le  barun, 

Li  rei  qui  regna  devant  li; 

Prodomes  furent  ambedui. 
3445  Meis  ainz  quil  al  rei  asemblasent 

E  quil  de  rien  i  aprochasent, 

Si  enveia  la  Dieu  puisance 

Sur  els  tele  ire  e  tele  pesance, 

E  Seint  Edmund,  le  bon  martir, 
3450  Ki  de  rien  ne  ama  lur  venir; 

(Kar  il  les  mist  tost  a  la  mort, 

Sanz  recoverer  e  sanz  resort). 

Pestilences  fortes  e  fieres, 

Denfermetez  plusurs  maneres 
3455  Les  ferirent  si  subdainement, 

Que  lur  feit  devint  a  nient. 
Quant  Alure  li  reis  loi, 

Ke  si  furent  aneanti 

Par  les  merites  Seint  Edmund, 
3460  Dune  suspira  de  quer  parfunt, 

Si  loa  Dieu  e  le  martir, 

En  plorant  ne  se  pout  tenir. 

Le  corseint  tant  cum  il  vesqui, 

Ama,  honura  e  cheri. 
3465  En  eel  contemple  qui  dune  fu, 

Ne  mustra  Dieus  nule  vertu 

El  liu  u  li  corseint  giseit ; 

E  ceo  esteit  a  mult  bon  dreit, 

Kar  eels  qui  i  erent  conversant, 
3470  Ne  esteient  mie  bien  creant, 

E  si  Dieus  miracles  'i  fist, 

Nul  ne  [les]  nota  en  escrit, 

Ne  nul  [dels  le]  sen  [ne]  perneit; 

MS.  11.  3440,  e  conquere  (7  syl.);  3441,  noun;  3451,  morts,  2351, 
resorte;  3454,  de  plusurs  (9  syl.);  3455,  feri;  3457,  rei;  3458, 
aneinte;  3466,  dieu;  3472,  nul  ne  nota  ne  lescrit(  7  syl.);  3473.  Ne 
nul  ne  sen  perneit  (6  syl.). 


I58  LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND 

Kar  lur  creance  faible  esteit. 
3475  Meis  un  apostoile  out  a  Rome, 

Martin  out  a  nun,  treseint  home 

Qui  une  partie  ad  tramis 

De  la  croiz  u  Jesu  fu  mis 

En  al  tere  al  rei  Alure, 
3480  Kar  oi  aveit  de  sa  bunte, 

Que  bons  Cristiens  fu  li  reis, 

Sages  hum,  mult  pruz  e  curteis ; 

E  par  le  requist  Alure 

Li  out  le  Pape  graante 
3485  A  lescole  engleise  a  tut  dis, 

La  franchise  dunt  fu  requis. 

Par  ces  reliques  quil  tramist 

Par  la  grace  de  Jesu  Crist, 

Lapostoile  al  rei  Alure 
3490  Enveia  la  Cristiente. 

Ces  reliques  sunt  bien  gardeez 

E  cherieez  e  honureez 

En  Engletere  a  grant  honur, 

Cume  dreit  est  jesqua  cest  jur. 
3495  Apres  ces  fesances,  feni 

E  de  cest  secle  departi 

Alure,  li  reis  honurez. 

E  apres  ces  jurs  corunez 

Fu  li  vielz  Edward  en  le  pais, 
3500  Si  en  fu  reis  poestis, 

Meis  mult  poi  de  tens  il  dura, 

E  apres  ses  jurs  si  regna 

Rei  Athelston,  li  bon  barun, 

E  puis  un  rei,  Edmund  out  nun, 
3505  E  le  rei  Ealured  altresi, 

E  apres  li  le  rei  Edwi, 

E  puis  Edgar,  sun  frere,  apres 

MS.  11.  3474,  fieble;  3476,  out  noun  (7  syl.);  3481,  bons;  348a, 
sage  home;  3483,  la  requeste;  3484,  la  pape;  grante;  3485,  eng- 
leche  tut  dis;  3491,  gardez;  3492,  cheriez,  honurez;  3494,  cum, 
iour;  3497,  honure;    3498,  iours  corune;  3502,  iours;   3504,  noun. 


LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND  1 59 

Regna  en  le  pais  tut  ades. 

Quant  cil  fini,  u  tost  u  tart, 
3510  Si  regna  le  seint  rei  Edward, 

E  apres  ses  jurs  si  regna, 

E  la  regiiin  governa 

Un  rei  qui  ert  Aielred  clame, 

Qui  mult  ama  Cristienete, 
3515  E  en  ses  ovres  vereiment 

Se  mustra  Dieus  omnipotent, 

E  fist  meinte  bele  vertu 

Pur  Seint  Edmund,  son  trescher  dru, 

Que  li  evesque,  e  li  abe, 
3520  Prestre,  diacne,  clerc,  lettre 

Mistrent  en  escrit  errantment, 

Dunt  ore  vus  dirrai  en  present 

Un  bel  miracle,  une  grant  vertu 

Coment  avint  e  coment  fu. 
3525  Lestoire  dit  e  pur  veir  cunte 

Quil  avint  si  quun  vescunte, 

Lefstan  out  nun,  si  fu  nome, 

Vesquens  esteit  de  la  cunte 

U  le  cors  Seint  Edmund  giseit. 
3530  Meis  sur  tute  rien  fel  esteit. 

Cil  ne  volt  onkes  fere  honur 

A  Seint  Edmund,  le  cher  segnur  ; 

Meis  tut  le  mal  e  le  contraire 

Quil  poeit  e  sout  as  suens  fere. 
3535  Meis  sa  guere  sur  sei  verti, 

Kar  Seint  Edmund  bien  le  rendi 

Le  mal,  la  peine,  la  grant  perte, 

Quil  out  de  li  long  tens  suferte. 

Dieus  se  coruscea  mult  forment, 
3540  Si  en  prist  de  li  vengement. 

Si  avint  dune  que  cil  vesquens 

Leva  matin,  en  este  tens ; 

MS.  H/3511,  iours;  3516,  Si,  dieu;  3523,  une  bele  miracle  (11  syl.) 
3527,  noun;    3528,  vecunt,    del  (7  syl.);  3533,   la  contraire;     3534,  a 
suens;   3539,  D'ieu;   3540,  de  li  le  (9  syl.). 


l6o  LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND 

Ceo  fu  li  primer  jur  de  Mai, 

Que  del  soleil  sunt  cler  li  rai. 
3545  Quant  leve  fu  e  apreste, 

Si  envait  tenir  sa  cunte, 

De  suz  la  vile  Seint  Edmund, 

En  une  place  de  lez  un  munt; 

Thinghowe  lapelent  la  gent; 
3550  Meint  hum  i  ad  este  dolent. 

La  hum  soleit  les  batailes  fere; 

Meint  hum  i  ad  eu  contraire. 

Ilukes  tint  il  sa  cunte, 

Si  cum  il  fu  acustume, 
3555  Pensant  e  enginnant  coment 

II  puise  enginner  povre  gent, 

E  coment  il  les  mette  a  perte 

E  en  forfez,  sanz  lur  deserte. 

Sicum  cil  entur  ceo  moele,  ( 1 ) 
3560  Si  troveit  escrit  en  son  roele 

La  feme  qui  ert  vers  li  forfeite, 

E  si  sulum  lescrit  en  fraite. 

Cele  ert  triste,  murne  e  marrie, 

De  grant  manere  espourie, 
3565  Que  li  vesquens  en  son  record, 

Ne  la  feist  Juger  a  mort. 

Mult  par  duta  la  vie  perdre; 

Ne  saveit  aleure  u  aerdre. 

Meis,  tries  un,  tries  altre,  senvait, 
3570  A  la  fertre  Seint  Edmund  treit. 

La  quida  aver  guarisun 

De  mort  e  de  destrucciun. 

Que  unke  li  vesquens  nele  sout, 

MS.  11.  3543,  i°ur;  3544.  soleile;  3546,  sun  conte;  3548,  E  une; 
leez;  3550  and  51,  home;  3551,  soleit  or  suelt;  3553,  sun;  3555, 
Pensant  eginnant  (7  syl.);  3557,  a  pert;  3558,  En  forfez  (7  syl.);  desert; 
3559,  molle;  3562,  E  solum  (7  syl.);  3564,  espurie;  3s6s,Vescunt;  3569, 
alure;  3570,  E  al  fertre  Seint  Edmund  se  treit  (9  syl);  3572,  morte; 
destrucciun;    3573,  le  vescunt,  nel   (7  syl.). 

Note  (1)  I  find  no  satisfactory  explanation  of  this  word.  It  appears 
to  be  a  form  of  modular e  >  motder  (rocle  <  rotulus). 


LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND  l6l 

Ne  nul  des  soens,  qui  of  li  out. 
3575  La  cheitive  feme  esgariee, 

Ke  mult  par  fu  espoentee, 

Gist  devant  la  chase  al  martir, 

Plurant,  e  gettant  meint  suspir. 

E  pria  Dieu  devutement, 
3580  E  le  seint  martir  ensement, 

Que  sicum  il  est  poestis, 

La  gard  de  tuz  ses  enemiz. 
Kant  le  felun  Lefstan  le  sout, 

Ke  la  feme  que  en  plait  mise  out, 
3585  Sen  fu  fuie  al  muster, 

Nen  out  en  li  que  coruscier; 

Ses  homes  mult  tost  apela, 

E  irrement  [lur]  comanda, 

Ke  le  muster  mult  tost  cerchasent, 
3590  E  la  feme  tost  li  menasent. 

E  ses  serjanz  tuz  errantment, 

Vunt  fere  sun  comandement. 

II  alerent  dreit  al  muster, 

Pur  quere  la  povre  mulier. 
3595  Quant  il  vindrent,  trovee  hint 

Devant  la  fertre  Seint  Edmund, 

E  mult  egrement  demanderent 

A  eels  qui  entur  la  fertre  erent, 

La  feme  qui  out  este,  le  jur, 
3600  Jugiee  devant  lur  segnur. 

Un  des  plus  anciens  [lur]  respunt, 

Que  ele  ert  entur  Seint  Edmund. 

Prestre  ert  e  un  diacne  od  li ; 

A  piez  se  drescent  ambedui, 
3605  E  respunderent  errantment, 

Que  il  noserent  [mie  pur]  nient, 

MS.  11.  3574,  de  soens;  3576,  espontee;  3579,  devoutement;  358a, 
jarde;  3585,  fui  (7  syl.);  3588,  irrement  comanda  (7  syl.);  3595, 
trove  (7  syl.);  3596,1c  fertre;  3598,  iour;  3600,  jugie,  segnour  (7  syl.); 
3601,  de  plus  anciens  respount  (7  syl.);  3606,  noserent  naient 
(6  syl.). 


l62 


LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND 


Home  ne  feme  a  els  liverer, 

Ki  ja  pur  sa  vie  salver, 

Fust  venu  al  seint,  a  garant; 
3610  Nel  fereient,  ne  tant  ne  quant. 

Kant  les  serjanz  ceo  oirent, 

Irreement  entrels  f remirent ; 

Kar  il  noserent  contredire, 

Que  comande  les  out  lur  sire 
3615  Ainz  cururent  tuz  par  air, 

Dreit  a  la  fertre  le  martir, 

U  la  povre  feme  giseit, 

Ke  mult  sovent  Marie  crieit. 

II  la  pristrent  mult  cruelement, 
3620  E  treistrent  felonessement 

La  cheitive  povre  mulier, 

Par  poinz,  par  piez,  hors  del  muster ; 

Quant  les  clers  e  cil  qui  esteient 

Entur  le  martir  ceo  veieient, 
3625  Ke  cil  unt  fet  cele  grant  rage, 

E  al  martir  si  funt  ultrage, 

De  luc  sen  alerent  tut  dreit, 

La  u  li  seint  martir  giseit; 

Lur  set  psalmes  [i]  comencerent, 
3630  Devutement  les  verseilerent, 

E  la  letenie  ensement, 

Od  lermes,  mult  devutement. 
!  -     i  Dieu  prient,  de  fin  quer  entier, 

E  le  bon  corseint  del  muster, 
3^35  Quil  [ore]  mustre  sa  pusance 

E  del  surfeit  pregne  vengeance. 

Dune  avint  si  quentre  cest  feit, 

Lessa  li  fel  vescuens  son  pleit 

Pur  la  feme  que  aver  voleit, 
3640  E  si  ala  a  grant  espleit, 

MS. r  11*  3610,  freient;  361 1,  oyerent;  3612,  fremierent,  irrement 
(7  syl.);  3615,  hair;  3624,  Quen  entur,  veient;  3625.ee!;  3629,  psalmes 
comencerent,  (7  syl.);  3630  and  32,  devoutement ;  3635,  Quil  mustre 
(6  syl.) £3636,  prengne;  3638,  vescunt. 


LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND  163 

E  se  hasta  vers  le  muster, 

U  il  teneient  la  mulier, 

Qui  pur  li  [i]  enveie  erent. 

Avis  li  fut  que  trop  demorerent. 
3645  Cum  il  el  cimitire  entra, 

E  sicum  il  [a]  mielz  erra, 

Si  sarestut  sempres  aneire, 

A  une  tumbe  de  un  proveire 

Ki,  quant  fu  vif  Bonde  ert  clame; 
3650  La  sest  li  vesquens  areste, 

Quil  nalast  avant  pur  nul  plait. 

Pur  le  grant  pechie  quaveit  fait. 

Dieus  le  engetta   [hors]    de  sa  vie. 

Li  diable  resceust  le  mal  bailie, 
3^55  Vereiment  en  sa  companie, 

Pur  son  pechie,  pur  sa  folie. 
Si  cume  ses  homes  ceo  virent, 

La  povre  feme  deguerpirent ; 

E  corurent  tuz  ses  vaslez 
3660  A  lur  segmur  qui  fut  devez, 

Plurant  e  criant  mult  forment 

Pur  lur  segnur  dunt  sunt  dolent. 

E  puis  tantost  cum  il  vindrent 

A  peine  e  [a]  dolur  le  tindrent. 
3665  A  cele  ore  Dieus  le  puissant 

Fist  deus  miracles  mult  granz : 

Le  un  ke  delivera  la  mulier 

De  peril  de  mort  [e]  dencombrier; 

E  laltre  fu,  ke  li  vesquens 
3670  Fu  sudeinement  hors  de  sens, 

Par  Seint  Edmund,  le  treseint  rei, 

Qui  en  desdein  out  son  desrei. 
Cil  cheitif,  cil  Dieu  enemi 

MS.  11.  3643,11  enveie  (7  syl.);  3645,  en  cimiter  (7  syl.);  3646,  il 
mielz  (7  syl.);  3650,  vescunt;  3651,  II;  3653,  Dieu;  le  engetta  de  sa 
vie  (7  syl.);  3654,  E  li  diable  resceive  le  mal  baillie  (10  syl.);  3657, 
Sicum  (7  syl.);  3659,  tres  vasez;  3664,  A  peyne  e  dolur  (7  syl.); 
3665,  dieu;    3666,  mulz;    3668,  morte  dencumbrier. 


164  LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND 

De  ceste  vie  departi. 
3675  Male  fin  out  e  male  mort, 

Par  ses  culpes  e  par  son  tort, 

Sicume  lorent  li  malfe 

En  ceste  vie  enfantosme. 

Si  firent  il  mult  grant  vergoine 
3680  A  son  ord  cors,  a  sa  charoine, 

Que  tere  nel  poeit  sufrir. 

Ne  sepulture  retenir. 

Meinte  feiz  de  la  tere  issi, 

Puis  cum  laveit  enseveli ; 
3685  La  gent  nel  pourent  endurer 

Plus  longement;  meis  aturner 

Feseient  le  quir  dun  tor  grant, 

Si  feseient  mettre  maintenant 

Cele  orde  charoine,  eel  cors, 
3690  E  puis  coustre  forment  dehors, 

E  treinerent  errantement 

Hors  de  la  vile  e  hors  de  gent, 

En  un  ord  putel  que  ert  parfunz, 

Le  feseient  getter  jesqua  funz. 
3695  Une  piere  a  son  col  pendu, 

Ki  a  funz  lad  bien  tenu. 

Une  altre  fez,  en  tens  deste,  (1)  Miracle. 

Si  mustra  Dieus  sa  poeste, 

Quil  fist  de  un  fort  rei  felun, 
3700  Pur  lamur  de  Seint  Edmun; 

Pur  qui  Dieus,  nostre  salveur, 

Fist  grant  vertu  e  grant  honur. 

Cil  felun  rei  si  out  nun  Suain, 

De  grant  felonie  esteit  plain, 
3705  De  cest  secle  mult  artilus, 

E  des  ovres  Dieu  oblius, 

MS.  11.  3677,  Sicum;  3684,  lout  (7  syl.);  3685,  poerent;{3686,long- 
ment;  3687,  tor  mult  grant  (9  syl.);  3691,  errantment  (7  syl.);  3693, 
E  en  une  orde  putel;  parfunz  (9  syl.);  3694,  founz  3696,  Ke  a  (6 
syl);  3697,  Un  autre  fez;    3703,  noun. 

Note  (1):  Miracle  in  red. 


LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND  1 65 

En  Danemarche  ert  son  regne, 

Sa  richesce  e  sa  poeste. 

Cil  reis  ses  veisins  mult  ha'f, 
3710  E  de  tut  son  poer  laidi; 

Kanquil  pout  de  mal  soleit  fere, 

Meis  puis  li  turna  a  contreire. 

Cel  reis  aveit  en  sa  bailie, 

De  plusurs  gent  grant  companie ; 
3715  Kar  Daneis,  Suaneis  e  Guteis, 

E  Westwikins  e  Winedeis,  ( i ) 

E  mult  des  genz  daltres  contrees, 

Le  siwirent  pur  lur  soldees, 

Ke  les  doneit  e  permetteit. 
3720  A  grant  merveile  gent  avent. 

Dune  ert  al  rei  Suain  bien  avis, 

Kil  poeit  [tost]  chescun  pais, 

E  chescune  tere  conquere 

Od  son  grant  host  e  od  sa  guere. 
3725  Dune  fist  asembler  errantment, 

Tut  son  people  e  tute  sa  gent; 

Sa  tere  asist  e  ordena, 

E  ses  assises  i  mustra 

Sicume  firent  ses  ancestre; 
3730  Tant  quil  vesqui  si  pout  bien  estre. 

Puis  fist  sa  mesnee  aturner, 

E  od  sa  gent  se  mist  en  mer. 

Bon  vent  ourent  a  lur  talant; 

Vers  Engletere  vunt  siglant. 
3735  Quant  en  la  tere  arive  sunt, 

Robent  aval,  robent  amunt, 

Tant  roberent  e  tant  pelfrerent, 

En  Northfolc  u  ariverent, 

MS.  11.  3707,  danmarche  (7  syl.);  3709,  rey;  3711,  les  soleit  (9 
syl.);  3713,  celi;  3717,  dautre  contres;  3718,  soldes;  3722,  poeit 
chescun  (7  syl.);  3729,  Sicum  fist  son  ancestre  (6  syl.);  3730,  cum 
il  (9  syl-.);    3733,  ount. 

Note  (1):  "  West  Vikings  and  Wends,  between  whom  and  the  Danes 
close  intercourse  existed  at  this  period. "  Cf.  Arnold's  Edition,  p  241, 
note. 


1 66  LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND 

Quil  unt  mult  grant  aver  conquis, 
3740  Par  la  tere  e  par  le  pais. 

Tant  se  longnerent  de  lur  port, 

Quil  sunt  venu  [jesqua]  Tiefort. 

Meis  iluc  les  covint  atendre, 

Kar  la  tere  les  volt  defendre 
3745  Un  riches  hum  de  eel  pais, 

Chivalier  bon  e  de  grant  pris ; 

Hardi  e  pruz  cume  leun, 

Ulfektel  aveit  il  a  nun. 

II  se  combati  ferement 
3750  Od  sa  mesnee  e  od  sa  gent; 

E  les  Daneis,  tut  altresi, 

Qui  mult  furent  pruz  e  hardi ; 

Merveilus  colps  sentre  donerent, 

Dambes  parz  kant  sasemblerent. 
3755  La  veissez  les  granz  melees, 

Granz  colps  de  haches  e  despees, 

Tanz  poinz,  tant  piez,  tanz  chiefs  voler, 

E  tantes  lances  truncuner, 

Tanz  chivalers  escervelez, 
3760  E  tanz  occis  e  tanz  nafrez, 

Tanz  espandre  sane  e  cervele, 

E  si  treiner  tante  boele 

Tanz  escuz  a  or  estroir, 

Tante  blanche  broine  falsir, 
3765  Tantes  lances  fraindre  e  crussir, 

Tanz  homes  mors  envers  gisir, 

Tantes  saites  e  tanz  darz 

Treier  ( 1 )  e  lancer  dambes  parz, 

Qui  trespercent  quir  e  coraile, 
3770  Escu  ne  halberc  ne  valt  maile, 

Ke  tut  ne  trespercent  li  dart ; 

MS.  11.  3739,  mul  a  tiefort  (7  syl.);  3745,  Un  riche  home;  ^3747, 
cum;  3748,  noun;  3753,  Merveilus  coupes;  3755,  melleies;  3756, 
espeies;  3757,  Tant;  3758,  Tantes  (7  syl.);  376^,  falser;]  J3767, 
Tanz  seites. 

Note:  (1)  Treier  seems  to  have  passed  to  Conj  I  (Cf.  contreerent 
above). 


LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND  167 

Ni  ad  oes  lanier  ne  cuart. 
Ulfeketel  e  les  soens  od  sei 

Ert  en  le  frunt  del  primier  cunrei, 
3775  Que  quanquil  ateint  acravante; 

Nul  apres  son  colp  ne  se  vante, 

Kil  ne  puisse,  sil  volt,  bien  dire, 

Ke  ja  mester  ne  avera  de  mire. 

E  li  reis  Suain,  del  altre  part, 
3780  Se  contient  cum  urs  e  leopart, 

Ki  se  cumbate  mult  ferement; 

Kanquil  ateint  parmi  li  fent. 

La  bataile  oust  bien  vencu, 

Kant  il  ad  choisi  e  veii 
3785  De  treis  sei,  une  companie, 

Une  mult  grant  chevalerie, 

Ke  Ulfeketel  i  out  enveiee, 

E  ke  de  guere  esteit  veziee ; 

Priveement  lad  recelee, 
3790  Par  une  sutive  valee ; 

II  furent  set  cenz  chivaliers, 

E  quatre  cenz  des  archiers, 

Ki  pres  les  chivaliers  armez 

Veneient,  le  petit  pas,  serrez. 
3795  Si  as  chivaliers  surd  destresce, 

Quil  les  seient  forteresce. 

Kant  li  reis  Suain  e  son  vassal, 

Les  vit  surdre  devers  le  val, 

II  ad  dit  a  ses  plus  privez : 
3800  "Enginnez  sumes  e  gabez. 

Veez  cume  grant  gent  la  surt. 

Ne  quid  que  nul  de  nus  returt 

James  al  pais  dunt  eissimes; 

Folie  fu  que  cea  venimes; 
3805  Meis  contenum  nus  sagement, 

MS.  11.  3772,  ose  3775,  ad  cravante;  3776,  colpe;  3778.  f%£  (9 
syl.);  3779,  li  rei,  parte;  3787,  enveie;  3788,  vezie;  3789,  Privement 
ad  (7  syl.);  3795,  surde;  3796,  fortresce  (7  syl.)  3801,  Viez  3802, 
quide  (9  syl.). 


l68  LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND 

Cume  pruz  e  hardie  gent. 

Le  darein  cunrei  se  cumbate 

A  eels,  si  les  movent  baratte, 

E  vus  cea,  a  mielz  que  purrum, 
3810  Vers  Ulfeketel  combaterum." 

Ulfeketel  ert  del  altre  part; 

En  sa  main  destre  tint  un  dart. 

Quant  il  ad  choisi  sa  gent 

Del  val  surdre  serreement, 
3815  He  les  suens,  tuz  a  un  cri, 

Unt  Suain  e  les  suens  esbai ; 

E  eels  del  aguet  les  requierent, 

Ki  unc  de  rien  ne  les  requierent. 

La  veissez  tel  crusseiz 
3820  De  lances  e  tel  chapleiz 

De  haches,  despees,  de  branz, 

Dunt  il  donent  les  cops  mult  granz. 

Reis  Suain  veit  quil  nad  nul  ados; 

E  de  tutes  parz  est  enclos 
3825  De  ses  plus  mortels  enemis. 

Mult  en  est  dolent  e  pensis, 

Ni  ne  veit  liu  que  il  se  venge, 

Ni  ne  sait  quel  conseil  en  prenge. 

Kar  Ulfeketel  e  sa  gent, 
3830  Des  soens  occient  cent  e  cent ; 

Lur  estre  ne  valt  mes  un  as, 

Kar  de  cumbatre  sunt  si  las, 

Quil  ne  se  poent  mes  aider. 

II  veient  bien  lur  encumbrer, 
3835  Quil  ne  poent  aver  repos. 

A  Ulfeketel  turnent  le  dos, 

Parmi  les  cunreis  del  aguet 

Senfuirent  tut  entreset, 

E  Ulfeketel  e  sa  mesnee 
3840  Les  feseient  mult  grant  hachies, 

MS.  11.  3806,  cum,  (7  syl.);  381 1,  parte;  3813,  choise;  3814,  serre- 
rnent;  3819,  veisiez,  corusseiz;  3823,  Le  rey  (9  syl.);  3824,  tutes  (s 
interlined)  est  ore  enclos  (9  syl);  3827,  ne;    3828,  Ne  ne;  3840,  feseit 

(7  «yi). 


LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND  1 69 

Ke  a  dos  les  vunt  enchaceant, 

E  par  centeines  occiant. 

Tant  en  occistrent  les  Engleis, 

Des  feluns,  des  engres  Daneis, 
3845  Buche  de  home  ne  numbrast  mie, 

Tanz  perdirent  iluc  la  vie. 

Tanz  sunt  morz  e  tanz  sunt  occis, 

De  set  mil  ne  eschaperent  vifs, 

Fors  sulement  cessant  e  set. 
3850  Cels  emmene  Suain,  qui  sen  vet, 

Mats  e  desumfiz  vers  la  mer. 

Sachez,  nunt  cure  de  sujurner. 

Kant  furent  a  lur  nef  venuz, 

Nerent  mie  lents  ni  paresceuz; 
3855  En  halte  mer  tost  mis  se  sunt, 

E  vers  lur  pais  se  revunt. 

Ringhemere  est  icil  liu  dit 

U  Daneis  furent  descumfit. 

E  Ulfeketel  pas  ne  sujurne; 
3860  Vers  Seint  Edmund  mult  tost  se  turne. 

Dieu  mercie,  le  rei  de  glorie, 

E  le  seint  rei,  de  sa  victorie, 

Par  qui  grace  il  ad  Suain  vencu, 

E  descumfit  e  confundu. 
3865  Pur  veir  vus  di  que  dune  regna 

E  tut  le  pais  governa, 

Dengletere  tut  envirun, 

Un  rei,  qui  Aieldred  out  nun; 

Cil  ne  osa  unkes  manier 
3870  Escu  ne  brand,  nespee  balier, 

Ne  altre  arme  vers  son  enemi, 

Tant  out  le  quer  anaienti, 

E  tant  ert  coart  e  chaluz, 

Malveis,  laners  e  pourus. 
3875  E  nepurquant  meint  contreire 

MS.  11.  3845,  Bouche;  3849,  soulement;  3850,  en  meine;  3851, 
mates;  3852,  nun;  sujourner;  3853,  nief;  3854,  lentes;  386i,merci 
(7syl.);  3868,  noun;  3870,  espeie;  3875,  meinte. 


I70  LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND 

Fist  il  as  soens,  e  meint  desfaire 

Fist  il,  a  tort  e  sanz  reisun, 

Tant  par  ert  encrisme  felun. 

Quatre  pruz  homes  en  le  pais 
3880  Vers  le  North,  erent  astais; 

Mult  furent  cil  quatre  prodome, 

Boris  e  leals,  ceo  est  la  sume. 

Meis  li  reis  en  he  les  coilli, 

Pur  ceo  quil  erent  pruz  e  hardi. 
3885  Les  baruns  a  la  mort  mettereit 

Mult  volentiers,  sil  le  poeit. 

Cels  quatre  baruns  qui  li  reis 

Hai  tant,  orent  nuns  Engleis; 

Ne  furent  pas  nomez  Richer, 
3890  William  e  Robert  ne  Gauter. 

Meis  le  un  dels  out  nun  Leofwine, 

E  laltre  ert  clame  Aelfwine; 

Le  tirz  Siverz,  le  quart  Markiers. 

Mult  par  furent  bons  chivaliers; 
3895  E  sunt  del  rei  forment  hai. 

Meis  il  erent  [tuz]  bien  garni ; 

Ne  les  hait  pas  pur  lur  folur, 

Meis  pur  pruesce  e  pur  valur, 

Dunt  duiz  sunt  li  quatre  barun. 
3900  Pur  ceo  les  hait  li  reis  felun. 

Mult  erent  riches  de  grant  fin, 

Cil  quatre  barun  palain, 

Kar  tute  la  tere  esteit  lur, 

Sicum  la  mer  lenclost  entur; 
3905  Descoce  jesqua  Gainesburc, 

Nen  out  cite,  chastel  ne  burc 

Dunt  il  ne  furent  chief  segnur. 

Tut  le  mielz  de  Engletere  ert  lur. 

Li  reis  les  hai  mult  forment, 

MS.  11.  3876,  a  soens;  3878,  en  crisme;  3882,  ce  est  (7  syl.);^3884 
qui  erent;  3885,  morte;  3886,  mul,  si  il  (7  syl.);  3890,  William,  rob- 
ert  (7  syl.);  t  interlined;  3893,  tirce;  3896,  erent  bien  (7  syl.);  3897, 
hai;  3900,  heit;  3905,  Gheniesburc;   3906,   erite;   3907,  fusent. 


LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND  I7I 

3910  E  il  le  rei  [tut]  ensement. 

Engin  [rejque'isent  volentiers, 

Qual  rei  sursissent  encumbriers ; 

E  feseient  procheinement 

Al  rei  doel  e  grant  marrement. 
3915  II  pristrent  des  lurs  quatre  sages, 

E  tramistrent  en  lur  messages ; 

En  Danemarche  les  tramistrent, 

E  les  comanderent  e  distrent : 

Quil  saluasent  Suain,  le  rei 
3920  De  lur  part,  chescun  endreit  sei, 

Cume  lur  tres  lige  segnur, 

De  qui  tendreient  lur  honur, 

Sil  volsist  venir  en  le  pais, 

Reis  en  sereit  [e]  poestis. 
3925  De  la  tere,  de  la  segnorie 

Avereit  il  la  greindre  partie; 

Volentiers  le  receiverunt, 

E  tuz  homage  a  li  ferunt, 

E  a  li  livrerunt  del  pais 
3930  Tut  le  mielz,  sulum  lur  avis : 

Cumberland  e  Westmeriland, 

E  trestute  Northumberland. 

Ne  avera  chastel,  cite  ne  burc, 

Descoce  jesqua  Gainesburc, 
3935  Forest  ne  chace  ne  pescherie, 

Dunt  il  navereit  la  segnurie. 
Les  messagers  se  sunt  turne, 

A  Danemarche  en  sunt  ale, 

Al  rei  unt  dit  tut  lur  avis, 
3940  Purquei  il  [i]  erent  tramis. 

Quant  le  rei  Suain  loit,  mult  fu  le; 

Unc  tant  de  rien  ne  fu  haite. 

MS.  11.  3910,  rei-ensement  (7  syl.);  3911,  queisent  (7  syl.) ;~  3913, 
feseint  (7  syl.);  3915,  de  lurs  (s  interlined);  3916,  tramisterent  (9 
syl-)»  39J7»  le;  3921,  cum  (7  syl.);  3924,  sereit  poestis  (7syl.);  3926, 
grendre;  3932,  trestut;  3935,  Foreste  (9  syl.);  3936,  nen;  3940,*  jl 
erent  (7  syl.);   3941,  lee;   3942,  haitee. 


172  LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND 

Les  messagiers  bel  apela, 

E  si  mult  [par]  les  honura, 
3945  E  si  les  fist  mult  bele  chere, 

E  honura  de  grant  manere, 

E  fist  sujurner  noblement, 

Tant  cume  lur  vint  a  talent. 

E  quant  il  sen  voldrent  aler, 
3950  Mult  riches  duns  les  fist  duner, 

E  puis  son  conge  les  dona, 

E  ces  paroles  les  livera : 
"Amis,"  fet  il,  "vus  en  irez, 

E  vos  segnurs  me  saluerez, 
3955  Cume  a  mes  plus  tres  chers  amis, 

Qui  jeo  aime  tant  cum  sei  vifs, 

E  tuz  eels  del  North  altresi : 

Dites  que  jeo  lur  mand  defi, 

Quen  cest  an  les  vendrai  veeir, 
3960  Si  jeo  ma  sante  puis  aveir." 

Cels  revunt  en  lur  tere  dreit, 

E  ceo  que  Suain  dit  les  aveit, 

Noterent  les  quatre  messages 

En  privete  a  lur  segnurages. 
3965  Reis  Suain  ne  sest  pas  obliez; 

Ainz  ad  tuz  ses  baruns  mandez ; 

Son  conseil  lur  ad  descovert, 

E  bien  les  ad  dit  en  apert, 

Que  tuz  se  aprestent  cum  a  guere, 
3970  Kar  aler  volt  en  Engletere; 

Puis  fet  tute  sa  gent  banir; 

E  gent  comencent  a  venir. 

Deus  tant  de  poeple  asembla 

Quil  nout  quant  il  primes  ala 
3975  En  Estangle  u  se  combati 

A  Ulfeketel  qui  le  venqui. 

Li  reis  Suain  bien  les  soldeia ; 

MS.  11.  3944,  E  ausi  mult  les  honura;  3947,  E  les  fist  suiourner  (9 
iyl.);  3948,  cum;  3950,  dones;  3954,  salurez  (7  syl.);  3955,  cum; 
3959,  veisr  (s  marked  for  cancellation)  (7  syl.). 


LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUNB  1 73 

Riches  soldees  les  dona, 

Ainz  quil  ne  meissent  en  mer. 
3980  Ne  les  voleit  plus  demorer ; 

Puis  fist  mettre  sa  gent  banie 

En  halte  mer  od  lur  navie; 

Puis  se  mist  li  reis  en  sa  nef, 

E  fist  drescier  mult  tost  son  tref. 
3985  Od  sei  ne  mene,  tant  ne  quant, 

Ni  parent,  ni  feme,  ni  enfant, 

Fors  sulement  son  fiz  Knut 

Amena  od  sei  quant  il  se  mut. 

Dune  siglent  e  vagent  tut  dreit 
3990  Vers  Engletere,  a  grant  espleit. 

Tant  siglerent  e  tant  cururent 

Quil  virent  bien  e  cunurent 

Dest  Engletere  le  graveir, 

E  les  faleises  blancheeir. 
3995  Dune  apela  Suain,  le  rei, 

Son  mestre  mariner  a  sei ; 

"Siglez  mei,"  fet  il,  "beals  amis, 

Trestut  dreit  devers  le  pais, 

U  jadiz  solei  ariver. 
4000  La  voldrum  a  nut  hosteler." 

Li  mariner  issi  le  fist, 

Cume  Suain  son  segnur  [li]  dist; 

Od  lur  estoire  sunt  entre 

En  Gernemue,  e  arive. 
4005  La  novele  est  tost  espandue, 

Ke  le  rei  Suain  est  a  Gernemue. 

A  Ulfeketel  vint  la  novele; 

Saver  poez,  ne  li  fu  bele. 

Ulfeketel  esteit  a  eels  tens 
4010  De  deus  cuntez  lur  vesquens. 

La  gent  del  pais  asembla 

Devant  li,  si  les  demanda, 

MS.  11.  3978,  soldes;  3981,  gents;  3983,  nief;  3984,  trief ;  3987,5011!- 
ement;  Knout;  3997,  me;  4000,  nute;  4002,  cum;  segnour  dist  (7 
syl.);    4002  and  4006,  Sueyn. 


174  LA   VIE    SEINT    EDMUND 

Quel  conseil  il  en  purrunt  prendre, 

Kar  ne  se  purrunt  pas  defendre, 
4015  Vers  Suain  qui  si  sudeinement 

Est  sur  els  venu  od  grant  gent, 

Ki  tuz  les  volt  a  mort  retreire 

E  destruire,  sil  poeit  faire, 

"Kar  tresbien  le  savez,  enfin, 
4020  Que  Suain  est  plus  f el  que  mastin ; 

Ja  vers  li  ne  troverum  grace, 

Quil  nus  doint  un  sul  jur  despace 

Quil  ne  nus  face  une  nuaie 

E  nus  nen  avum  nul  aie ; 
4025  Ne  nul  conseil  de  nostre  rei, 

Ne  nul  comfort,  ne  nul  agrei; 

Qui  nus  devereit  trestuz  aider, 

E  maintenir  e  conseilier. 

Meis  si  tant  de  respit  en  eusse, 
4°3°  Que  Jeo  &ent  assembler  peiisse, 

Ja  Suain  ne  ireit  de  cest  pais 

Quil  ne  fust  descomfist  e  pris." 

The  MS.  breaks  off  here  at  the  foot  of  folio  24  b.  with 
the  catchwords :  "E  ses  amis  li  respundi." 

MS.  11.  4015,  Sueyn;  4016,  eus;  4017,  E  ki  (9  syl.);  voult;  402a, 
iour;  4029,  usse;  4030,  pusse;  4031,  Sueyn. 


LIFE. 

My  parents  were  James  Turner  Leftwich,  of  Virginia, 
and  Adelia  Lake,  of  New  York,  and  I  was  born  at  Alexan- 
dria, Virginia.  In  1879  my  parents  removed  to  Baltimore, 
Maryland,  where  my  preparatory  training  was  received  at 
the  Southern  Home  School,  taught  by  Mrs.  Wilson  M.  Cary. 

After  a  year's  special  study  at  Wellesley  College  and  a 
year  spent  in  Europe,  as  well  as  several  years  of  private 
study  of  the  Modern  Languages  and  Latin,  I  entered  Bryn 
Mawr  College  in  1893,  an<^  was  graduated  in  1895  with  the 
degree  of  A.  B.,  my  major  subjects  being  French  and  Latin. 

As  holder  of  the  Bryn  Mawr  European  Fellowship,  I 
spent  the  year  1895-96  in  Paris,  where  I  attended  the  closed 
and  open  courses  at  the  Sorbonne  and  the  lectures  at  the 
College  de  France. 

I  wish  here  to  offer  to  Professor  Ferdinand  Brunot,  of  the 
Sorbonne,  my  cordial  acknowledgments  of  the  personal  kind- 
ness and  encouragement  which  I  received  from  him  while 
I  was  in  attendance  upon  his  courses. 

On  my  return  to  America  I  held  for  two  years  the  chair 
of  Modern  Languages  at  the  Mississippi  College  for  Women, 
at  Columbus,  Mississippi.  In  1898  I  returned  to  Bryn  Mawr 
College,  where  I  continued  my  work  in  Latin,  under  Pro- 
fessor Gonsalez  Lodge,  and  in  Old  French  Philology  and 
Dialects  under  Professor  Louis  Emil  Menger. 

As  holder  of  the  Fellowship  awarded  by  the  Baltimore 
Society  for  the  Promotion  of  the  Higher  Education  of 
Women,  I  spent  the  year  1899- 1900  in  the  University  of 
Zurich,  where  I  studied  principally  under  Professor  Hein- 
rich  Morf.  I  cannot  express  too  strongly  my  sense  of  obli- 
gation to  Professor  Morf  for  the  inspiration  I  received 
from  his  work,  as  well  as  for  the  personal  kindness  and  con- 
sideration with  which  he  treated  me  while  I  was  connected 
with  the  University. 

(175) 


I76  LA    VIE    SEINT    EDMUND 

During  the  year  1 900-1 901,  I  had  charge  of  the  French 
Department  at  the  Bryn  Mawr  Preparatory  School  in  Balti- 
more. At  the  beginning  of  the  second  Semester  of  1902  I 
returned  to  Bryn  Mawr  College,  where  I  was  awarded  the 
Resident  Fellowship  in  Romance  Languages  for  the  year 
1 902- 1 903. 

In  June,  1903,  I  received  the  degree  of  Ph.  D.  from  Bryn 
Mawr  College,  my  major  subject  being  Old  French  Phi- 
lology and  Literature,  my  first  and  second  minors  being 
Latin  and  Spanish  respectively. 

Let  me  here  express  my  gratitude  to  all  the  professors 
under  whom  I  studied  at  Bryn  Mawr  College.  Especially 
are  my  thanks  due  to  M.  Lucien  Foulet,  Professor  of  French 
Literature;  to  Dr.  Gonsalez  Lodge,  Professor  of  Latin,  and 
to  Dr.  Fonger  de  Haan,  Professor  of  Spanish.  To  their 
wise  counsels  and  kind  assistance,  I  am  not  less  indebted 
than  to  the  valuable  instruction  I  received  from  their  courses. 

To  the  late  Dr.  Louis  Emil  Menger,  Professor  of  Old 
French  Philology,  under  whose  direction  my  dissertation 
was  composed,  I  owe  the  practical  assistance,  the  wise  en- 
couragement and  the  discriminating  criticism  without  which 
I  should  scarcely  have  been  able  to  complete  the  task  I  had 
undertaken.  I  keenly  regret  that  my  dissertation  in  its  pres- 
ent form  could  not  be  submitted  to  Dr.  Menger,  nor  receive 
the  benefit  of  his  final  judgment. 

Florence  Leftwich  Ravenel. 


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